Parallel and Perpendicular: Chapter One
by ShaggyDiz
Summary: The lines have finally crossed, but the slow burn of hate has only begun to show through. Rated R for language. Complete.
1. 1:1 The First Signs of Something Off

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z, it's characters and likenesses, are all own by Akira Toriyama and the creators of the animated series. The characters are used for my amusement and are not being written for money purposes.

This story is rated R for sexual content and strong/explicit dialogue.

Note: people wanting to join my mailing list should refer to my profile page for instructions.

Note two: Chapter Zero can be found at storyid=1261432.  The events of this chapter begin immediately after the conclusion of Chapter Zero.  Constructing a summary of Chapter Zero will take too much time and effort, and I only have enough of that to write this.

Note three: all questions asked in reviews will now be handled via email.  I advise all reviewers who have a question or concern with the story to leave their email addresses when they review, or email me themselves with a question or concern.  My email is always available, and I do check it often.  This will be the last time I take up space for responses.

Early reads were done by sage of angst and PsYChO.

* * *

Parallel and Perpendicular

A romance fiction/story by ShaggyDiz

Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me

Part One: The First Signs of Something Off

* * *

                "Now, I will proceed to go over the day's events with you," Mr. Lou stated to the class.  It had only been a minute or so since Videl had arrived to class in which the majority of the class put their heads down and soundly went to sleep.  Most of them had forgotten how to go to sleep early in the evening, so when the time came to finally prepare for school, most had just received a few hours worth of sleep.

                Gohan, of course, knew much better.  Still, he was slightly bored as well, wondering what the day was all about.  He figured it to be important, seeing as the teacher had put great emphasis into this.  From what he could gather though, no one seemed to care, and it was only a few minutes ago that people were happily shouting his name.

                He noted that Mr. Lou started the lecture of what to do on the first day of school.  There was to be a general gathering of students in their respective homerooms, followed by a syllabus of the first class.  The next two periods would see them gather in the auditorium, as the principal had prepared a "rousing" speech for the day.  Afterwards, the regular class schedule would begin.

                His attention span lasted two minutes more than the rest of the students.  He soon placed his chin on his hand and let his arm support his drooping head.  Gohan looked to his right for a moment, seeing the two blonds – Sharpener and Erasa – out cold.  A quick glance to his right showed Videl kicking back in her seat, not really caring if her back became bent and awkward.  He thought for a second – quite stupidly as well – about what a female "Igor" would look like.  He decided not to ask that question to the black haired girl next to him.

                A conversation was in order.  "Does this happen every year?" he asked Videl.  Down at the bottom of the class, the teacher's voice, while somewhat upbeat, was beginning to get monotone in length.  Gohan knew he would soon join the ranks of the sleeping students.

                Videl gave him a quick glance before nodding.  She then bent forward, reaching into her bag and pulling out a pen and paper.  Quickly scribbling something on it, she slid it down to Gohan, who read the two lines briefly:

                _Can't really talk.  Teachers always pick me out of a crowd of thirty._

                Gohan frowned.  _That's odd,_ he thought.  _Why would someone be so… wait a minute?  "Teachers?"_   He stole a look at Videl before going to the paper himself, taking her pen to write out a quick note.

                _Why "teachers"?  Something happen?_  Videl's eye twitched, but she let it slide.  She couldn't vent on Gohan, knowing that he was a new student.  He wouldn't understand anyway.  Or he might, but she couldn't tell him just yet.

                Trust was in order, and trust couldn't be established after five minutes.

                _A story for another time,_ she wrote back.  Gohan read it before looking at her.  He read her eyes and understood enough that it definitely was for another time.  He put his focus back to the front of the class, seeing as Mr. Lou was pulling out a series of papers.  He also pulled out a heavy hardback book, stood on his chair, and dropped it seven feet to the floor.

                Nearly all the students were up in an instant.

                "Now, since I've taken care of the _boring_ stuff," he emphasized, "I will be handing out the syllabi to your Human History class."  He moved down the aisles, handing a stack of papers to each of the students at the end of each row.  He came up to Videl's row and gave the girl another snide look before dropping the papers on her desk before moving along.

                _That's the second time he's done that today,_ Gohan thought to himself.  He stole a quick glance at Mr. Lou, seeing that with everyone else, he carefully placed a stack of papers on each of the students' desks.  _Something is definitely up…_

                "I'll give you several minutes to look over this and talk with your friends.  I need to step out for a minute," Mr. Lou said upon returning to his desk.  He placed the remaining papers on his desk and exited the room.  By then, most of the students were engaged in some sort of discussion.

                "Damn!" Sharpener stated, stretching his arms back and letting out a lengthy yawn.  "That was the most boring 'welcome to school' introduction I've heard."

                "Sharpener… you've slept through them all," Erasa said, giving him a deadpan look.

                "And you weren't even in school when you were sleeping," Videl followed, having an equally deadpan look on her face.

                "Really?"  He set himself into mock thought, rubbing his chin briefly before shrugging.  "Ah well.  This was boring."

                "Yeah," the girls agreed.

                It was a sudden switch of direction, as all three of them turned to the silent member of their group.  "What?" Gohan muttered, feeling very self-conscious and nervous.

                "So Gohan," Erasa started for the three of them, "Did you transfer here?"

                "Well – "

                "He actually was home schooled," Sharpener answered for him.

                "I could have – "

                "Really now?  And they made him a senior?  With us?"

                "Well, I am – "

                "Oh yeah!  This guy is a genius!  He practically aced his tests."

                "Guys?"

                "I know that!  He said so himself when he introduced himself this morning!"

                "Guys?"

                "Wow Erasa… it's never like you to pay attention that much."

                "I think I might give up."

                "Sharpener!  Take that back!"

                "Yeah… getting out of this erupting volcano…"

                "What?  It's a compliment.  You actually paid attention for once… you never do!"

                "This syllabus looks – huh?"  A tap on his shoulder interrupted his outer monologue.  He turned to face Videl, who had an amused look on her face.  "What's so funny?" Gohan asked, tuning out the developing argument behind him.

                "They do that all the time.  You try to get into a discussion with them, and they ignore you completely before talking about you like you're not there."

                He quickly glanced at the blondes.  "I see… when will they snap out of it?"

                "Soon enough."  She turned so she was facing him completely.  "Home schooled, huh?"

                Gohan nodded.  "Mom's idea.  It was also her idea to get me out of the house to make some friends."

                "Thus, the high school setting?" Videl asked, waving her hand around for emphasis.

                He nodded again.  "I knew it was coming for a while… it was all just a matter of when she decided to let go of her… um," he leaned in close, not wanting anyone else to hear, "'little boy'."

                Videl raised an eyebrow.  "Really now?"

                "Yeah.  I wonder why she didn't do it sooner, seeing as I have a younger brother and all."

                "That's cool.  I have a younger sister myself.  She is quite cute."

                Gohan smiled.  "I have an idea… if, um, you're up to it."

                "You have an idea?"

                He frowned.  "Is that a bad thing?"  She couldn't help but laugh.

                "Oh boy… Gohan, you have much to learn here.  Your mom was right in sending you to high school.  We can show you the ropes," she said, pausing for a second before looking over his shoulder at the blondes.  "Well… I can show you the ropes at least.  Now, tell me this idea of yours."

                "Since you said that your sister is cute, we should have a contest between our siblings, see who is cuter."  He smirked after finishing it, and for a moment, he thought he was cool.

                "Gohan, a word for the weary: never say 'cute' around here again.  Even I would beat you up for it."  Gohan's smirk faded away.

                "Oh…"

                "Don't worry about it though.  If we can, we'll do it in secret.  Where do you live at anyway?"

                For a moment, he wondered if he should just lie to her about where he lived.  West City was an option Gohan could have stated, but for now, he didn't care if she knew where he lived.  "I live in the four-three-nine mountain area."

                Silence filled the immediate area.  Videl was speechless about that, and Gohan thought that maybe he could have elaborated for her.  He didn't notice the dead silence from behind him.  If only he hadn't tuned out the couple's argument then maybe he could have heard that pin dropping behind him.

                "The four-three-nine mountain area?" Erasa shouted from behind, startling Gohan so much that he fell forward, slipping out of his chair and landing on the floor, face down, somehow ending up underneath Videl's seat.  He turned his body and tilted his head slightly so he could see Videl's face.

                "I take it that was the thing that snapped them out of that spat?"

                "Yup," she nodded.

                Gohan pulled himself off of the floor, climbing back into his seat before setting his gaze on Erasa.  "Remind me next time before you yell in my ear.  My hearing is… quite sensitive."

                She seemed to ignore that last comment.  "The four-three-nine mountain area?  That place is over five hundred miles away!  It'll take at least five hours to get here!"

                "Actually, I got here in three hours…"

                It seemed that nothing would stop her tirade.  "I mean, look at this!"  From out of nowhere, she pulled out a map, detailing the single massive continent of the planet.  Also appearing from out of nowhere was a pointer stick.  Gohan had "confusion" written all over his face, and Videl slapped her head rather loudly, knowing where this was going.

                "How did she do that?" Gohan whispered to Videl.

                "Don't ask.  I still haven't figured out the physics of it."

                "Oh," he nodded, keeping an eye on Erasa the whole time, hoping beyond all hope that she didn't turn violent then.

                "This is Mt. Paozu," she started, pointing to the eastern side of the map, circling around the spot on the map.  "And this is Satan City," she did the same, circling a city south and west of Mt. Paozu.  "See?  See!  Five hundred plus miles!  How does one person get from 'here' to 'here'?" Erasa shouted, quickly moving her pointer back and forth between the city and the mountain area.

                "Um… you should stop now Erasa," Sharpener pointed out from behind.

                "Silence pawn!  I'm not finished."

                There was a loud throat clearing from behind Videl, to which the four of them turned around, finding Mr. Lou standing over them.  He smirked briefly, completely ignoring Videl with the smirk.  "Having fun?" he asked.

                "Not really," Videl muttered.

                "What was that, Ms. Satan?"

                She turned in her seat, staring right up at the teacher.  "Not.  Really."

                It was there that Gohan noticed that "twitch" in her eye.  He noticed it earlier when he made the mention of the teachers on the paper.

                Defiance.  It was the obvious trait he noticed.  He still lacked basic understanding of its look, but he had an idea of what it did look like.  Why she would be defiant to a person of authority is beyond him.  There was a deeper meaning to it.

                He wondered for a moment if he should ask the blondes behind him about what this was all about.  _No,_ he thought, _Mom raised me better.  I'll ask her directly, but not now.  I won't do anything stupid to jeopardize this._

                The stare down between Videl and Mr. Lou lasted all but a few seconds.  At its end, the teacher let out a little smirk.

                A knowing smirk.

                Gohan didn't like that either.

                "I believe everyone has had sufficient time to read their syllabus," Mr. Lou said, moving back down the aisle.  "Now, the principle had announced over the speakers about a minute ago that the planned meeting has been moved up to now.  If you will please gather your things and make your way down to the auditorium, I'm sure that he could make this little thing go a bit faster."  He stood by the desk, making sure that all the students left the room before him.

                Gohan was the last to leave, making sure to stay behind Videl when they left.  He noticed walking past the desk that she and the teacher made another sniveling glance at each other.

                It took all of ten minutes to realize, from the moment Videl stepped into the room this morning until now, that Gohan's first and only year of high school would be an interesting – and troubling – exercise in self control.

* * *

End Part One

* * *

I hoped you enjoyed.  Please review.


	2. 1:2 A Deeper Hurt

Disclaimer: See part one.

Note four: I should have mentioned this last time, but I'll do so now.  I'm keeping to a schedule for updates right now.  Besides this week (which was a holiday week, and thus pushed the launch of this part back one day), I will update on every Wednesday.  Unless something major happens to me, nothing will make me deviate from that schedule.  And no, I will not post any sooner.

Early reads once again provided by sage of angst and PsYChO.

* * *

Parallel and Perpendicular

A romance/fiction story by ShaggyDiz

Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me

Part Two: A Deeper Hurt

* * *

Begin Part Two

* * *

                "Man!  That was the most boring of all the first year meetings we've had," Sharpener said to no one in particular, walking back into room twelve-eight with the students.  Videl and Erasa once again had deadpan looks on their faces.

                "Sharpener, you fell asleep… again," his girlfriend reminded him.

                "And don't forget that this was the first one you've attended… ever," Videl said in tune.

                "Yeah.  Yeah," the blonde boy responded, waving his hand and brushing them off.  Gohan came in behind them, confused and awed by the meeting.

                "Um… guys, what was that all about anyway?" he asked as they climbed the stairs to their seats.

                "It was a general meeting that the school always has every year," Videl answered, "It's your basic 'get everyone in one place to introduce them to yet another anemic year of high school' gathering."

                Gohan simply nodded, taking his seat with everyone else.

                It was then that Mr. Lou came in, grabbing his bag before turning to the class.  "Attention everyone!  The normal schedule will begin in approximately four minutes.  Once the bell rings, everyone will either remain here for their next class, or proceed to whatever classroom you have scheduled for fourth period.  I have a class down in twelve-one, so I'll be seeing you all again tomorrow morning."  With that, he left the room.  He paused for a second before turning back and looking up at the students.

                "Mr. Son," he said, "A word for a moment, outside please."

                Gohan looked left and right, shrugging his shoulders.  He got up and walked down the stairs, stepping out of the room before Mr. Lou.

                Only Videl knew what the teacher was going to say to him.  Mr. Lou gave her one last look before following Gohan outside of the room.

                It was a look of someone crushing someone else's hopes.

* * *

                "What is it?" he asked Mr. Lou, confused as to why he would be called outside of the room.

                "I want to advise you about befriending Ms. Satan: don't."

                "Don't?"

                Mr. Lou pressed on.  "Ms. Satan is a girl not to be trusted.  I want you to keep away from her at all costs."

                The teen was shocked.  Videl wasn't to be trusted?  On whose account?  "Why are you telling me this?"

                The teacher smirked then, and the half-Saiyan knew there that the older man had the upper hand.  "Why don't you just let Ms. Satan explain that one for herself, okay?"  He turned on his heal and walked off, down the hall to room twelve-one.  He left the teen standing there for several minutes, letting him ponder on his words.

                "What is going on here?" he finally asked himself.  He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to find some sort of answer.

                He got none.  The only one he would get was from Videl.

                "I can't ask her now either.  I've only known her for two hours!"  Finally hitting that stumbling block, he reentered the classroom.  He decided to remain silent about the exchange between himself and Mr. Lou.

                Gohan took his seat and looked at Videl, who appeared ready to question him.

* * *

                "Videl, what was that about?" Erasa asked her friend, watching Gohan and Mr. Lou exit the room.

                "I don't like this," she said softly, though the two blondes next to her easily picked up on it.

                "Was it about… that incident?" Sharpener asked.

                Twitch.

                "I hope not.  He might just tell him not to be friends with me."

                "Didn't he do that to that one new kid last year?" Erasa asked this time.

                The black haired girl nodded.  "He hasn't talked to me since."  She paused, putting her head on her desk.  "I can't go to the principal about this either.  He's probably the fucking ringleader of them all."

                "Well, don't give up hope yet!" the blonde girl squeaked out, somehow coming out with a pair of pom-poms.  "I don't think Gohan will ignore you just because the teacher asks him to!  He's smart, so he should figure by now that something is up."

                "I sometimes wonder where she gets these things," Sharpener muttered from behind.

                She sighed audibly.  "I hope you two are right.  It wouldn't do good to make him feel like he was betrayed after only two hours of the day."  She sat back up a moment before the door opened, revealing Gohan with an awfully confused look on his face.

                _This doesn't look good_, Videl thought to herself, turning to face Gohan as he took his seat.

* * *

                Gohan noticed the stare coming from Videl.  He tilted his head slightly to look into her eyes.  _Please don't ask what I think she's going to ask…_

                She studied him briefly before asking: "Is everything okay?"

                "I think so… just confused."  _She didn't ask what I thought she would.  Has this happened before?_

                She nodded.  "Okay… try not to worry about it then."

                _Try not to worry?  What is she thinking?_  "Okay… I'll try not to."

                The door opened, revealing a short, somewhat pudgy woman.  She walked – rather, waddled – over to the desk, flinging her bag onto it.

                "Hello students," she said, her voice a mix of a high-pitched squeak with a rusty can clang.  "My name is Ms. Pumpkin, and I'll be teaching you Advanced Mathematical Functions this year."  She pulled a pile of papers out of her bag and walked over to the front row.  She motioned for the student to pass them out.  "Now, I'll start by going over the basic review functions…" her voice droned on, though most of the students by now had found some sort of earplugs to block out the sound of her voice.

                Videl and Gohan received the syllabus, looking it over briefly before coming to a sound conclusion: Advanced Mathematical Functions would be the easiest class this year.  For Gohan, he knew the most advanced calculus by age thirteen, while Videl had taken the time to teach herself several mathematical forms over the years.

                "Easy 'A'," Gohan muttered as he flipped through the second page.

                "Confident, are we not?" Videl asked, amusement on her face.

                He turned his head slightly, making sure that the abrasive voice of Ms. Pumpkin was directed towards the board.  "Don't forget: home schooled."

                "Ah, right.  Tell me something: did your mom ever let you out?"

                He shook his head.  "Not all too often.  Her intentions were good, though it took her too long to realize that I would end up as a social nobody if I never got out of the mountains."

                "You're doing fine now, you know… except for that little mishap with our sibling cuteness game," she said, muttering the last part.

                "Thanks.  I read a few things on the 'Net about how to interact with others.  It's helping so far."

                She nodded.  "That's cool.  You have the 'Net in the mountains?" Videl asked, curious as to how a mountain village could have access to the 'Net.

                "It was a combination of my grandfather's money and my mother's constant pushing to have me learn.  I believe this was her 'world history' phase."

                Videl raised an eyebrow.  "You mother had teaching phases?"

                Gohan nodded.  "Math, history… world languages… you name it, she had them.  I'm surprised I remember them all."

                "Ms. Satan!" called the unmistakable voice of Ms. Pumpkin.  "Please stay quiet or I will write you up for a detention."

                "Sorry," Videl muttered quietly.

                "Um… Ms. Pumpkin?"

                "Yes… what's your name?"

                "Gohan, ma'am."  She squinted her eyes, focusing on the boy sitting next to Videl.

                "Hmm… what did you want?"

                It took almost all of his self-control not to cover his ears.  "I was talking… Videl shouldn't be reprimanded."

                Twitch.

                "So it seems."  She turned back to the board, writing more problems on it.

                Gohan turned his head slightly, looking at Videl out of the corner of his eye.  "Sorry."

                "Why?" she asked softly.

                There was something odd then that Gohan noticed with Videl.  She looked…

                _Hurt?  But why?_

                "You didn't deserve to be singled out," he said, turning back to the front of the class.

                _You didn't have to do that though_, Videl thought to herself, turning back to the front of the class.  _It happens all the time…_

* * *

End Part Two

* * *


	3. 1:3 Pushing the Proverbial Envelope

Disclaimer: See part one.

Early read was done by sage of angst.  PsYChO was absent this time, though I have no real reason as to why he was.

* * *

Parallel and Perpendicular

A romance/fiction story by ShaggyDiz

Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me

Part Three: Pushing the Proverbial Envelope

* * *

Begin Part Three

* * *

                Lunch turned out to be a welcomed relief to Gohan.  He managed to sneak away before anyone could spot him and, discovering that the students were allowed to eat outside during lunch, he snuck out to a small copse of trees several hundred yards away from the school.  He walked around the other side of the tree – facing away from the school – and took a seat there.

                "Hmm… two sandwiches, loaded with my favorites," Gohan said greedily, taking out the tightly wrapped sandwiches and his bag of chips, placing them on top of the provided napkins.  He took his time with his lunch, wanting to make sure his hunger was satisfied for the time being.

                He decided not to worry now about Videl.  The plan he thought of would work for now.

                "Why doesn't she stand up for herself though if these teachers continue to be a thorn in her side?  Mr. Lou tells me not to associate myself with her, and then Ms. Pumpkin yells at her for something I did."  He took several bites of his sandwich.

                "This is awfully confusing," he said, finishing his sandwiches.  He got up and made his way back to school, getting a drink from a vending machine before taking a short tour around the school grounds.  He had plenty of time before his next class started.

                Gohan had plenty of thinking to do as well.  So deep in his thoughts, though, that he never noticed the girl staring down at him the entire time.

* * *

                Lunch turned out to be a welcomed relief for Videl.  She managed to sneak away after class from Gohan and the others, and after grabbing her lunch, made her way outside.  Making her way to a small copse of trees some distance away from the school, she climbed up one of the taller trees, settling on a branch twenty feet off the ground.

                "Hmm… two sandwiches, loaded with my favorites," Videl said greedily, taking out one of her tightly wrapped sandwiches, unwrapping it and taking small bites out of it.  She leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes.

                "Why did Gohan do that today?" she pondered out loud, her demeanor changing slightly.  She was about to continue, but before she could, Videl heard footsteps crunching on the gravel path below her.  She peeked down, seeing Gohan walking slowly along the path, taking occasional peaks over his shoulder.

                _Ah, so you snuck out here yourself, Gohan?_  She kept her eyes on him, making sure not to lose sight of him.  He settled down at the tree right before hers, plopping on the ground and leaning back against the tree.

                "Hmm…" Videl heard him say out load, "two sandwiches, loaded with my favorites."  She tilted her heard slightly, feeling somewhat confused.

                _He said the same exact line I just said a moment ago… curious…_

                She continued eating her sandwich in small bites, keeping a steady eye on the black haired boy.  He gave a slight smile, and even from there, Videl could have sworn it looked like a pitying smile.  _Does he pity… me?_

                "Why doesn't she stand up for herself though if these teachers continue to be a thorn in her side?" she heard him say.  So it was she; that she now knew.  She didn't want his pity though.  Videl Satan doesn't take pity from anyone.  Yet…

                "Mr. Lou tells me not to associate myself with her, and then Ms. Pumpkin yells at her for something I did."

                _Mr. Lou did tell Gohan that after all._  She paused, following Gohan's movement and taking several bites of her sandwich.

                "This is awfully confusing," Gohan said after several minutes.

                _You can say that again_, Videl thought silently.  Fortunately for her, he didn't.  Videl finished her sandwich, waiting for Gohan to leave until she took out her second one.  She had done a good job of keeping silent sitting up in the tree, and she doubted Gohan would look up at her, seeing how deep in thought he was.

                Soon enough though, he got up and walked off, never speaking a word as to where he was heading.  Videl waited a few minutes before descending the tree, looking down the path back to school.

                "Argh!" she suddenly yelled out, as if releasing a great amount of pent up frustration.  "I don't need your pity!  I can handle myself!"  Videl spent herself too quick though, for she ended up falling backwards against the tree.  She leaned up against it, breathing deeply, her anger slowly subsiding.

                "I don't need your pity," she whispered to herself one last time, if anything, just for reassurance.  Videl pushed herself off of the tree, grabbing a napkin from her bag and wiping the sweat from her head as best she could.  She slowly made her way down the path, forgetting about the rest of her lunch still tightly clutched in her hand.  She would finish it later, but for now, all she could do was think about Gohan, and why he wanted to go so far out of his way to help her.

                Her answer came long after the final two classes of the day.

* * *

                "Good afternoon students!  I am Mrs. Honeydew," the blonde teacher said to the assembled class.  She was of medium height, with an attractive build.  No one could have said that she was the bearer of three children with the look that she had.  "This year, I will be teaching World Languages.  Here are the syllabi," she said, pointing to the stack of papers at the front of her desk.  She picked them up and handed them to a student at the front of the row.

                She turned back to the board, writing down the first lesson plan in German, ignoring the occasional whistle from the students behind her.  Up in the fourth row, Erasa continually hit Sharpener in the head.  He was the apparent ringleader of the hooting and hollering.

                "Sharpener!  What are you doing?" she whispered harshly into his ear.

                "What does it look like I'm doing?  Besides, we never got to see her before."

                Erasa's left eyebrow rose considerably higher.  "You do it in the hallways too, you know."

                "I do?  Wow… I really forgot those last three years walking by her in the halls."  He turned his head to look at his girlfriend.  "Don't worry about it babe.  Never forget that she is too old for me, and you are the perfect one."

                Somehow, Sharpener had chosen the right words for once, for Erasa's bad mood softened enormously.  "Oh Sharpener!"  With a quick glance at the board – and seeing that the teacher was still occupied – she took the opportunity to reach out and hug her boyfriend.  "You do know how to say the right words!"

                "I do?" he let out, puzzled beyond reasonable thought.

                Next to the blondes, Videl was ready to maim the offending characters.

                "One of these days, those two will meet their makers."

                "Now why would you do that?" Gohan asked.  She looked at him confused, and rightfully so.  During the whole display of affection, Videl noticed that Gohan had never turned his head once to acknowledge the festivities.  A quick look at his notebook showed that he had been attentive to the class the entire time.

                Curious as she was: "Have you seen what those two were doing?"

                Gohan nodded.  "Yeah."  He scribbled down a few more notes.  "You should be glad I'm acting as a buffer of sorts.  I'm the one suffering by sitting next to them."

                Videl smirked.  "Is that so?  Realize now that for the last three years, I've had to hear Sharpener complain about trying to get with Erasa.  It's not my fault he never made a move," she said, muttering the last sentence.

                He nodded again, this time cracking a smile.  A few minutes passed as they took notes, most of the students trying to remember any sort of foreign language.  Somewhere during those few minutes, Gohan remembered the instances with the teachers from earlier.  He had hoped that this one wasn't as… harassing as the previous two.

                "Hey Videl?" he asked.

                "Yeah?"

                "Does Mrs. Honeydew… like you, or dislike you?"

                Twitch.

                "She likes me.  Why?"

                "Curious observation," Gohan said, preferring to leave it at that.

                Videl had other thoughts.  "A 'curious observation'?  Explain that."

                He really didn't want to, but a quick glance out of the corner of his eye showed that any course of action now wouldn't halt her rising anger.  "Mr. Lou and Ms. Pumpkin didn't like you at all, from what I've seen.  And so far, Mrs. Honeydew hasn't raised a distasteful eye to you yet."  He turned to look at her fully.  "I don't want any explanations as to why these people like and dislike you.  I don't know you well enough yet to ask you personally."  He turned his head back to the front of the class, jotting down a few more notes before making one final statement: "Just a curious observation."

                Twitch.

                _I don't need your pity._

                "Ms. Satan."

                _I don't need your pity._

                "Ms. Satan?"

                _I don't need your pity!_

                "Ms. Satan!"  The teacher, who looked oddly calm after yelling her name three times, brought Videl out of her inner struggles.

                "I'm sorry," she said, blushing in embarrassment.

                "Are you okay up there?" Mrs. Honeydew asked, a positive curiosity in her voice.

                "I'm all right… just spaced out."

                "That's fine dear.  Now, I want you to tell me how to say 'Good day!  How are you?' in formal German."

                It was clearly obvious that foreign languages weren't Videl's strong suit.  She knew various phrases in some languages, but hardly knew even a quarter of the words in most of them.  Formal German was a particular challenge.

                "I'm sorry Mrs. Honeydew.  I forget how to speak in the formal sense."  Her head dipped slightly in shame.

                "It's all right Videl.  I doubt anyone in here would remember any foreign languages, unless they studied them intently over the summer."  She looked down at her roster sheet.  "Let me see… Gohan?"

                His head perked up.  "Yes?"

                "Can you translate what I just asked Ms. Satan?"

                He nodded.  "Sure.  '_Guten Tag.  Wie geht's es Ihnen?_'  Was that right?"

                "I believe it is," Mrs. Honeydew said, nodding in approval.  "I've never seen you before.  Are you a new student?"

                "Yes ma'am."

                She nodded again, moving onto another part of the lesson.  Gohan looked to his left, seeing Videl staring intently at him.

                "I can help you if you want.  I'm pretty good at this stuff."

                _I don't need your pity!_

                "I'm fine," she said softly, though with a clipped tongue.  She hoped he would take the message.

                Apparently, he didn't.  "You sure?"

                _I don't need your pity!_

                "I said I was fine," she said, this time in a higher voice, yet still only loud enough for Gohan to hear.  He looked at Videl for a few more seconds before turning back to the front.  He continued to write down notes, all the while wondering why Videl refused his help.

                _She seemed almost… mad there._

                The bell rang forty minutes later, ending the second to last class of the day.  It could not come any slower for Videl and Gohan.

                It was luck that Videl found out that she would not have Gohan in her final rotation of classes: a free period/study hall followed the next day by physical education.  She needed as much time as possible to get away from Gohan, and to clear her thoughts of him.

                He was proving to be quite the pain in the ass in her eye.

* * *

End Part Three

* * *


	4. 1:4 Justification

Disclaimer: see part one.

Pre-read was done again by sage of angst, who feels that PsYChO has lost many things, including his gentleman status.  She also wonders why my females curse so much.  Hell if I know.

* * *

Parallel and Perpendicular

A romance/fiction story by ShaggyDiz

Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me

Part Four: Justification

* * *

Begin Part Four

* * *

                Gohan left school slightly discouraged that day.  He had wanted to apologize to Videl for whatever he'd done wrong, though in all honesty, he didn't know what he did wrong.  Perhaps it's because she's a big girl, and that she doesn't need help from anyone.  Whatever it was, the first thing he would be doing tomorrow would be giving her a proper apology.

                It was the thing that was troubling him the most as he walked down the street to exit the city.  He didn't have his last class with Videl, seeing that he was in physical education for the last period of the day, and she was elsewhere.  He never asked where her locker was – which, by huge everyday coincidence, was right next to his – so he didn't know where to find her right after school.  He eventually gave up, deciding on just apologizing tomorrow.

                Of course, not finding her or the blondes removed any possible chance of Gohan sticking around Satan City for very long.  He figured that he could sense for their energy signatures and just suddenly "appear" before them, but he hadn't bothered to learn of their energy levels today.  He would be stuck finding them on foot, and that would just take too long.

                He looked down one street, finding a tall building with small alley between it.  Briefly looking around the area, Gohan walked down it before flying up to the rooftop.  From there, he was finally able to see the sheer size and scope of Satan City.

                "Amazing," he whispered.  He spun around in a complete three-sixty circle, taking a longing look at some of the extremely tall buildings.  "Well, at least Satan City has something more going for it than just a crime spree."

                It was by that coincidence there that it hit him.  His earlier fight as a Super Saiyan had helped out the locals at the bank, and he actually enjoyed that little scuffle.  He'd have to come up with something so that he wouldn't hurt people too bad as a Super Saiyan.  Gohan scratched his head, not finding an immediate solution.

                "A costume?" he said aloud after a few moments.  A costume would benefit him in many ways.  He would have better recognition in one, and with his facial features covered, he could protect his identity and fight in his normal state, free of bone splintering hits if it ended up coming down to hand-to-hand combat.

                Gohan needed a costume maker though, and that put him back to square one.  He couldn't just walk up to a random tailor and ask him to make a costume based off his designs.  He also needed some sort of way to transform quickly.  Phone booths with curtains were very rare, if not extinct due to the massive majority of people nowadays with cell phones.

                One name quickly came to mind.

                "Bulma."

                He smirked, blasting off from the rooftop and setting off for West City.  Gohan might be late for dinner, but he would have a very good reason for being late.

* * *

                Her plan was simple: get the hell out of school as fast as she possibly could, get Kagero from school in forty-five minutes, then meet up with the blondes, at which time she'd have more than enough anger built up within her so that those two could face her unyielding wrath.  Clearly, it wasn't a good day for Videl.  Her final class wasn't really a class at all.  It was just the free period for a group of students to sit around and study, or gossip their heads into oblivion.

                That was Videl's reasoning behind it.  She had Erasa there, who unfortunately was more of a problem to the black haired girl.  Clearly, separating her from Sharpener didn't cease the endless current of romantic reconciliation that brought those two together.

                In fact, separating them seemed to make the bubbling girl ten times worse.

                In any case, it gave Videl more fuel to the fire that was already added.  It was clear that she didn't like Gohan, or rather, found him to be an annoying pest.  She really didn't want to hate him, but the pitying looks of concern he constantly gave her drove her up the wall.  Videl was beginning to hope that he wasn't always like this.  She hoped that he was just trying to help, instead of having that sad look on his face.

                "I fucking hate that look," she muttered.  Videl was sitting in her copter outside of Kagero's school.  It would be over in less than five minutes, in which by that time, all the little seven and eight year olds would be pouring out of the doors, glad to be done of that first day of school.

                "They should be glad," she pointed out miserably.  "It only gets worse from here."

                Videl couldn't understand how one person – that she met today no less – could make her feel like the first three hours of every day that she woke up.  Sure, the blonde dimwits were always there to piss her off, but this was different.

                She hasn't felt this much discomfort in years.

                "Fucking Gohan!"

                "Is something wrong sis?"

                "Huh?"  She looked to her right, shocked at seeing Kagero pulling herself into the copter.  "When did you get out?"

                "Three minutes ago.  You looked so spaced out right there… kind of frightened me," Kagero said, pulling the door close and buckling herself in.

                "I'm sorry… just this new kid at school… I don't understand what he's doing."

                "Who, this fuc – "

                "Don't say that word!" Videl said sharply, turning and getting into her younger sister's face.

                "Fine… you said it first though," Kagero responded, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest.

                "Kagero… I'm sorry.  Not today though, all right?"  She moved back into her seat, turning on the engine.  "No one has ever pitied me before… and out of nowhere, this… boy, comes along and thinks he can help me."

                "Have you considered all the options with him?"

                "Not really."  Videl released the brake and put the copter in motion.  "Well… I figure he is trying to help me out, but the looks he gives me…" She left it at that, concentrating fully on flying the copter.

                "Have you talked to him about it?" Kagero asked.  Videl looked at her from the corner of her eye, raising her eyebrow in the process.  The younger girl understood its subtleties immediately.  "Still as stubborn as always, especially with new boys."

                "What's that supposed to mean?" Videl asked her.

                "You're never going to give anyone a chance, are you?" Kagero stated, keeping her gaze outside.  "Everyone that has attempted to help, you turn away.  I know you want to be yourself and rely on yourself, but you should ask for help sometimes."

                "Didn't I tell you 'not today'?"

                Kagero laughed slightly.  "You did."  She finally turned her head to look at her older sister.  "What makes you think I'm going to stop?"

                Videl sighed.  "Fine… you win.  Again."

                "Good," she said, smiling.  She turned her whole body then, making sure that she was still securely in, but also so that she was comfortably facing Videl.  "Now, tell me about this Gohan.  Is he cute?"

                "What?"  Confusion was written on the older girl's face.

                "Tell me what he's like!  And don't lie to me.  I know when you're lying."

                "Fine," Videl responded after a few seconds.  "Well, he's a dork… and he's smart…"

                And for the next twelve minutes, Gohan was the subject of Videl and Kagero's conversation.

* * *

                Gohan landed out in the front yard, walking and entering the front door without hesitation.  There was no one around, save for the server robot standing "guard" by the front door.  It turned and greeted its guest.

                "Mr. Gohan," it said.  "What brings you to Capsule Corp this evening?"  Gohan was about to walk past it, but remembered that this was the only robot that could tell exactly where everyone was at in the house.

                "I need to find Bulma.  Tell me where she is."

                "One moment please."  It turned towards the wall behind it, inserting a stiff cord into a socket.  This was the way the robot would be able to find all the house residents.  Bulma had specially designed the robot to connect itself with various heat signature fields.  It recognized various movements from people in the house and used those movements to make an outline of each individual.  Hair and other features were assumed – a minor flaw – but it worked nicely, nonetheless.

                "Bulma Briefs is currently in the main computer lab.  Please follow the path highlighted in green."

                "Okay.  Thank you."  Gohan left the main lobby, moving along the path set before him.  This was a general advantage over searching blindly for the person's energy signal.  A person can be found in one spot, but to find that person in a maze of rooms and corridors would prove tricky to a person relying on following energy levels.

                Green lights sounded good to Bulma anyway.

                Gohan found himself standing outside of the lab about a minute later.  He pushed the outside button, gaining entrance and finding Bulma mulling over one of the lab's many computers.  Several explicit words could be heard from where she was.

                "Having trouble Bulma?" he asked.  She didn't jump at all.  There was an earlier announcement that Gohan had arrived, and that the server robot at the door had laid a path for him to take.

                "Damn… fucking formula… argh!"  She threw her hands up, giving up on the project for the time being.  "These stupid fucking things never work!"

                "What's the problem today?" he asked, ignoring the older woman's outburst.

                "There is one formula which I can't figure out for this piece of shit.  Once I get it though, it'll work."  Bulma kicked the table for good measure.

                "Hmm… should I come back later?"

                She shook her head.  "Nah… just sit down.  I'll save this and be right over."  Bulma stuck her face back in the screen, clicking on various options before turning it off completely.  At that time, Gohan had found a small index card and a pencil.  That was how Bulma found him a few moments later: drawing intently on the card.

                "Now, what do you need?" she asked him.

                "I want you to make a superhero costume for me," Gohan simply said.

                She raised an eyebrow, confused.  "A superhero costume?  All right… I can do that.  I take it that you're drawing the design you want?"  He nodded.  A few moments later, he handed it to her.  Bulma looked over it, seeing the various scribbles and words on the card.

                "Child's play Gohan… you know that, right?"

                He nodded.  "Nothing too… over the top, but just enough for people to recognize me as a superhero.  How long will it take?"

                "Well, I'm going to have to find a capsule small enough to hold this design.  You say you want it in a watch?"  He nodded again.  "Okay… two hours, tops."  She put the design in her pocket, moving to another station in the room.  "Vegeta is over in the gravity room if you want to stop by and say 'hi'."

                "That's all right… I might do it later."  He walked over to the computer that Bulma was on before he came in.  "Hey, do you mind if I work on that thing you had going earlier?"

                "Sure, go ahead," she yelled from across the room.  "Just be sure to save it under a different file name.  I want to see what you did."

                "Okay!"  He clicked open the file and set to work, all the while thinking about why she figured that he would be able to work this out.

                About ninety minutes later, Gohan was putting the finishing touches on the project at hand when Bulma walked up from behind him.  She dangled a watch in front of his face.

                "Finished already?" he asked surprised.

                "Yeah.  What about you?"

                "One moment," he said, tapping the keyboard a few more times before saving everything under an alternate file name.  Gohan stood up afterwards, taking the watch from Bulma's hands.  "The formula should work now.  You made a small error half way through your process, and it pretty much messed you up in the long run," he said, referring back to the file on the computer.

                "Very good.  Now, do you know how to put a watch on?" she asked.  The look Gohan gave her explained everything.  "Okay… now, the watch here has two buttons.  The red one turns the switching mechanism on and off."

                "I see… and the blue button?" Gohan asked her.

                "The blue button… nothing yet, I'm afraid."  He gave her a strange look.  "It's for looks now, but eventually, if you get some help, we can make this a sort of communicator button."

                "That's cool."  He brought the watch up to face level.  "Might as well try this on."  Gohan pushed the button, and as soon as he did, a wire mesh-like field surrounded everything on his body, except for his mouth.  They took form a few seconds later, showing Gohan in his costume.

                He had a simple design for it: he wore a black spandex suit as the skin covering.  White boots and gloves adorned their respective appendages.  An extra large green vest covered from his shoulder to mid-thigh, and his head and eyes were covered with a white towel covering and sunglasses.

                All in all, Gohan was impressed.

                "It's good Bulma," he said, expressing his delight.

                "I'm glad you do.  Now, do you have a name for this creation of yours?"

                Gohan shook his head.  "I'll think of something over dinner.  Speaking of which," he looked down at his watch – the new one – to look at the time.  "Bulma… this doesn't keep time."

                Bulma grabbed his hand and looked at the watch.  "Really now?  Hmm… I'll fix that later.  You better get going now though before your mom begins to worry."

                "I will.  See you later Bulma, and thanks a whole bunch!" he shouted leaving the room.  Gohan quickly left the building and blasted off into the sky, still in his new superhero attire.

* * *

                If only the conversation had gone better, then maybe Videl – currently flying home for dinner – wouldn't have been in such a bad mood.

                It all started right after she had dropped off Kagero.  As much as she wanted to keep her younger sister happy, she couldn't keep the façade going any longer than she already did.  Videl did the only thing she could do once she got rid of Kagero:

                Curse repeatedly.

                It was a simple concept: don't curse when the younger sibling is around, and don't tell the younger sister how much of a distaste she had for the person she just happily described to her no more than five minutes before.

                Life was proving to be tough for Videl.

                She cursed loudly – thanking the makers of the copter for the sound proof windows – as she flew into the heart of the city, making her way to her ice cream stop appointment with the blondes.  There, her anger became more focused, as she would have to put up with the incredibly bubbly girl and her annoying jock of a boyfriend.

                Life was proving to be very tough for Videl, and she hadn't even said one word to the pair since school ended.

                She couldn't raise her voice in a place like the ice cream parlor.  Many students frequented the semi-large place, and it was one of the biggest gossip centers of the city, next to the Satan City Mall.  Shattering the peace in the place like this would prove stupid and fatal.  The largest group of gossipers would immediately start calling or text messaging their friends, who would call or text their friends, who would repeat the cycle, until just about everyone knew of what gossip had happened inside the ice cream parlor.  No one would be safe from a large mouth by nightfall.

                Videl found the blondes in their normal spots in the parlor.  She went up to them and sat down, looking around back and forth before leaning in close to them.

                "I'm beginning to hate Gohan," she stated.

                This threw the blondes in a loop.  "Wait… how can you hate Gohan?" Erasa asked him.

                "Yeah… Gohan is an incredibly smart kid with a good nature to boot.  How can you hate him?" Sharpener asked from next to his girlfriend.

                "He pities me."

                More loops were tossed in.  "He pities you?  How can he pity you?  You're Videl Satan!" Erasa said, being ever so wary of her rising voice.

                "I know that Erasa."  She turned her head to the side, looking away into some far off spot.  "He can see what's happening around me and the faculty."  Videl turned to look at the blondes again.  "He thinks he can help me."

                "Why don't you let him help you?" Sharpener said in a brief moment of intelligence.

                "Because I can't let him, okay?" she snapped at him.  "I've lived my life by what I saw fit.  I helped when I was asked and I declined help when I was asked.  I won't change now, not when someone gives me a smile that screams sorrow."

                "Wait," Erasa cut in, "when did he give you that look?  I watched him a lot today, and he didn't give any look like that."

                "I saw it at lunch.  I watched him as he spoke to himself about this shit."

                "You spied on him?"

                "It was inadvertent, Erasa.  I got out to the woods before he did, and he ended up sitting on the ground by the tree I was in."

                "So it was by coincidence that you ended up finding out that he pitied you?" Erasa asked.

                Videl shook her head.  "In the world languages class… he gave me that look again."

                "Having any trouble?" Mr. Gatou said from the table's end, holding a tray of the group's everyday special.

                "Nothing she can't take care of apparently, as always," Sharpener responded, waving a hand her way.  "She's a big girl, so she should be able to take care of stuff."

                "Oh now what, you too?" Videl said, anger rising quickly.

                "You need it," Sharpener answered.  He knew he was treading into dangerous territory, but even with Erasa tugging on his arm, begging him to stop, he didn't.  He also didn't know whether or not that this brief spot of intelligence was actually intelligent.  "Like you said, you don't need any help."  He leaned in close, getting right in Videl's face.  "Maybe it's about time you receive some help."

                Twitch.

                "What?" Videl asked, her anger boiling in her fist.

                "Do you want me to repeat it?"

                "No…"

                He nodded.  "Do you refuse defeat?"

                "No."

                He nodded again.  "Then tell him that you don't want his pity, but you'll take his help."

                "And what if he still pities me?" Videl asked him.

                Sharpener smirked.  "Then maybe you can just beat it into him."

                Videl smiled.  "I like that."

                "I don't think I do," Mr. Gatou cut in, taking the empty seat next to Videl.  "While I may not agree with the ass beating part, I do have to say that you should occasionally get help.  It might be because of the fact that, with the police work, you're so adjusted to doing things by yourself that receiving help from this kid would prove to be a deterrent to your everyday life, right?"  She nodded.  "Okay, well, take this into consideration: someday, you will need help.  It maybe tomorrow… it maybe a year from now for all we know.

                "You have to realize that you will need this help.  Tell this boy that you don't need his pity, but accept his help.  Talk to him about it, and if he does pity you again, remind him of who you are, and what you've gone through."

                "I barely know him though!" Videl argued.

                "Then get to know him.  Don't ignore him, and don't hate him."  He stood up, passing out the ice cream dishes.  "Now eat before they melt.  I don't want to lose any money because of wasted ice cream."

                "Hey… don't we always waste the ice cream?" Erasa asked.

                Mr. Gatou put his finger to his lips.  "Only for you three."  He went off to the back of the shop, leaving the three to their snacks.

                They made small talk on other topics, purposely avoiding Gohan for Videl's sake.  They left after about forty minutes, Videl parting ways with the blondes at the shop.

                She began pondering the conversation as she flew home.  It was true that she didn't want to dislike or hate Gohan.  Videl was left in a troubling spot though.  How can she be a friend with someone that gives her sorrowful looks?  It was that confusion that led to her indifferent mood.  She should have argued against Sharpener's point.  She should have let him repeat it.  Maybe then, that anger she had been building up could have ended up as a red hand mark on his face.

                Erasa wouldn't have liked that, and neither would Mr. Gatou.

                "Thank you Mr. Gatou," Videl whispered as she flew.

                Stubborn as she was, she would follow their advice, if only to see if Gohan was really what he seemed.

* * *

End Part Four


	5. 1:5 Delicate Situations

Disclaimer: see part one.

In a reversal of roles, PsYChO was the only one this time to provide the pre-read.  I'll get you your money once this fat bastard I know returns my three hundred plus dollars.

* * *

Parallel and Perpendicular

A romance/fiction story by ShaggyDiz

Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me

Part Five: Delicate Situations

* * *

Begin Part Five

* * *

                Gohan arrived home shortly after six, opening the door as he landed, disengaging his crime fighting costume as he did so.  As he traveled from the living room to the kitchen, he let the smell of his mother's cooking carry him to the table.

                "Hi Mom," he greeted, taking a seat next to his brother.  He rubbed Goten's head, acknowledging his presence as well.

                "How was your day?" Chichi asked him.

                "It was good," Gohan said, accepting a plate of breaded chicken and rice.  "I didn't stick around after school to talk with people, but I did end up making some friends during the course of the day."

                "That's good then," she said, handing a plate to Goten, who started devouring the food as soon as the plate touched the table.  "What took you so long to get home then?" she asked him.

                "I went to Bulma's, and I had her make me a costume for crime fighting."  During the course of the next few minutes, Gohan went into detail about his early morning exploits.  Chichi and Goten – especially Goten – were captivated throughout, listening intently to the story Gohan played out before them.

                "So I take it that you're going to try and do this from now on?" Chichi asked after her older son had finished.

                "When I can, at least.  I probably won't do it during school, since I know you wouldn't like that.  I'll do rounds in the morning and after school though, so that people can get to know me when they can."  He finished up his plate and went to serve himself seconds.  "We were right when we said before about the ineptness of the Satan City police."

                "That bad?"

                "With the way they looked during the one time I helped, then yeah."

                "What about that one person I saw last week?" Chichi asked, helping herself to a second serving.  Goten, meanwhile, was happily munching down his fourth serving, all the while keeping an open ear on the conversation.

                "That girl?" Gohan asked.  She nodded.  "I didn't see her, and no one made mention of her."  He tried to remember something that was said during the last week between himself and his mother.  He suddenly remembered the off comment she had made about what the girl looked like.

                "What's wrong?" Chichi asked him, seeing the look of hard thought on his face.

                "Nothing," he finally said.  Inside his head though, Gohan's mind continued to work.  _Is Videl the girl who fights for the police?_

                He finished his serving in silence, opting to pass on a third one.  Gohan took his dishes, washed them, and excused himself to his room.  There, he pulled out the first – and only – homework assignment of the night, one that would take him no more than fifteen minutes to complete.

                It was about fifteen minutes later that Goten came into the room, walking up to his brother before pulling up a chair and sitting in it.

                "What are you doing?" he asked.

                Gohan looked down at him.  "Just finishing these math problems."  He tilted his book over to show Goten what he was working on.

                "That looks hard," he said after a few seconds of looking over it.  "How do you solve this?"

                "Well, you put these two together…" And for the next twenty minutes, Gohan covered the fine details of advanced mathematics.  Not far into it, Goten had started to complain about a headache, and Gohan assumed that it was probably due to the child thinking too hard.  They finished it though – somewhat successfully – before deciding to head downstairs and watch television with their mother.

                It was during the course of the next two hours that Gohan explained in further detail about the day.  He talked about his new friends, but paid special attention to describing Videl, telling Chichi that there was something odd going on between her and the faculty.  Chichi's only response to that was: "Don't stick your nose into other people's business," to which Gohan replied: "I'll try not to Mom."

                They went like that until nine o'clock.  By then, Goten had fallen asleep across Chichi's and Gohan's laps.  Gohan picked him up and carried him to bed, quickly saying goodnight to his mother before retiring.

                He got changed and took care of his nightly bathroom business before climbing into bed.  Gohan was out cold by nine forty-five.  By midnight, he would fall into his first stint of REM sleep, and in that period, he would experience one of his most vivid dreams.

* * *

                Videl arrived home shortly after six, opening the door and quickly kicking her boots off onto the mat.  She made her way through the living room into the kitchen, seeing Faye putting the finishing touches on dinner.

                "Hey Faye," she said, catching her attention.  Videl made her way to the fridge, pulling out a pitcher of iced tea.

                "Good evening Videl.  And you're just in time for dinner too!" the maid said excitedly, transferring the cooked ham onto a large serving plate.

                "Yeah.  I'm glad to be home now… picked the perfect time to get dinner out."  She walked behind Faye as she carried the plate into the dining room.  "Where's Kagero?" she asked, setting the pitcher on the table.

                "Upstairs.  She said something about getting her homework done now so that she could bother you later with yours."  Videl gave her an odd look, to which she just simply shrugged.

                "It doesn't matter anyway.  I only have advanced math tonight.  Might as well teach her how to do that stuff now, I guess."

                "You know she'll get a headache," Faye stated.

                "At least it'll keep her from bother-" A large "thump" from upstairs interrupted the teen.  "She finally figured out that dinner was ready," she said, moving her eyes along with the steady sound of feet emanating from the second floor.  Soon enough, the youngster came into view, running right past Videl and Faye and into the large chair at the end of the table.

                It was her self dubbed "queen's chair" when Hercule was away.

                Slowly, Kagero looked back and forth between Videl and Faye.  The two of them had odd looks on their faces, confused to the child's moving head.

                "Well?" the small black haired girl asked.

                "'Well' what?" Videl responded.

                "Are we going to eat?" she pointed expectantly at the ham currently sitting three feet from her.  A slight drip of drool came out of the young girl's mouth.

                Videl threw her hands up, making an odd sound comprised of a person experiencing a migraine headache and the all too normal routine of exasperation.  "Get it yourself," she said, grabbing the knife and cutting her self a few slices of ham.  Faye left the room, only to return moments, carrying a bowl of macaroni pasta.  She ended up cutting Kagero a few slices of ham, unable to resist the young girl's pouting charms.  The remaining food and drinks were passed around after that, and dinner began quietly, except for the occasional manic sound of Kagero's mouth.

                "How was your day Videl?" Faye asked after a few minutes.  The teen was slow to respond, seeing that she was finishing up a piece of ham.

                Kagero didn't care for her bad manners and spoke for her sister.  "Bad," came the slightly muffled answer.  A slight choking sound was heard from her right.

                "Bad, huh?" Faye asked, letting the question linger in the air.  She directed most of her attention to Kagero, while keeping a partial gaze on Videl, who was starting to down her cup of iced tea.

                "Yeah."  The young girl finished chewing this time before continuing.  "Some new guy apparently… Videl doesn't like him all too much."

                "That's not true!" Videl cried out, finally free of her self-induced blocked windpipe moment.  She turned a heated stare at Kagero, threatening mass torture if she continued along this track.

                Unfortunately, the girl just didn't care.  "You forget who you're talking to," Kagero said evenly.  "Remember when I said that I know when you're lying?  I wasn't bluffing."  She took a bite of her ham and made an evil grin at Videl, showing her that she had somehow won again.

                It also meant that Faye was now tuned in completely to the conversation.  "So it's a new guy in your class that's causing this rising anger, huh?"

                "I don't want to talk about this," the teen said, setting her silverware down and crossing her arms over her chest.

                "Fine."  Faye turned her eyes back to Kagero.  "Talk."

                "She thinks he pities her."

                "Kagero!"

                "She refuses his help… much like everyone else's."

                Twitch.

                "Is this true Videl?" the maid asked.

                "Why should I bother?" she muttered, taking her silverware and callously cut through her ham.  She finished her first and only serving in less than two minutes, excusing herself afterwards.  She took her dishes, deposited them in the kitchen sink and made her way to her room.

                Videl sat at her desk; staring at a book she had opened – the hardcover for advanced math – and scribbling some incoherent nonsense on a piece of paper.  She did that for ten minutes before setting her pencil down, unable to focus on anything.  She got up and made her way over to her bed, flopping down on it.  Her focus eventually ended up on the shelf that extended out from the wall above her.

                Reaching up, she found the thing she was looking for on the first try: a frame with a picture in it.  Videl pulled it down, letting it stand on her chest.  She traced her finger around the young girl that stood in the picture and the small baby being held before coming upon the lady in the middle.

                She couldn't say anything at all as she came across the woman's delicate facial features.  All of her words became clogged in her throat, unable to come out.  There were so many things she had yet to say too.

                There was a sudden shift in weight on the bed.  "What is it?" Videl asked, knowing whom it was that sat there.

                "You know I can't replace her," Faye said, looking over her shoulder at the teen.

                "I never wanted a replacement.  No one can replace her," Videl said, turning away from the maid.

                "I know that."  She turned her body so that she could get a better look at Videl.  "I never expected to.  I wanted to try and mold myself into someone that… I don't know.  I just wanted to help."

                "I know."  She sat up completely, but kept her back to the maid.  "I should apologize."

                Faye stared at the girl confused.  "Why?"

                "I never allowed myself to completely open to you.  I always did things on my own, ever since…" she left the words unfinished.

                "Videl," she started, tempting fate by reaching out with her hand.  Faye got a somewhat favorable reaction; seeing that the girl didn't flinch or shudder as her hand came to rest on her shoulder.  "You can always start."  She squeezed Videl's shoulder when she saw her preparing to protest.  "I know you can't change a deeply rooted habit, but you can always make a good attempt at it."

                Faye stood up, making her way to the bedroom door.  She turned back one last time, seeing that Videl still hadn't moved.  "Try with this boy, okay?"  She paused, seeing if Videl was going to say something.

                She left a few moments later.

                Videl stood up several minutes later, making her way to the door and closing it.  She wandered back to her bed, completely forgetting about her homework.  She returned the picture to the shelf and laid down on the bed, staring blankly into the ceiling.  Confusing thoughts scattered throughout her troubled head, none of them becoming focused enough to ponder on.

                It was how Kagero found her two hours later – her blanket covering her stomach and legs, but not her bra-covered chest – climbing into her bed adjacent to Videl.  Faye had given her the warning of not aggravating Videl at this time, which she followed exactly.  As she pulled the sheets over her, she saw her older sister already in a deep sleep.  Looking closely, she saw her eyes had started their rapid movement, and Kagero remembered slightly from Videl's books what that meant.

                "I wonder what she's dreaming of," she said with a weary voice.  Kagero was out no more than five minutes later, and she would be asleep long enough that Videl wouldn't awaken her later that night.

* * *

End Part Five

* * *


	6. 1:6 Face of an Unwanted Individual

Disclaimer: see part one.  
  
Pre-reads none. Well, I did it myself this time, so it might suck more than normal. I'm not really sure what happened to my two beta readers this time though. Court has a good reason I'll have to question Mike about his notable absence.  
  


* * *  
  
Parallel and Perpendicular  
  
  
A romance/fiction story by ShaggyDiz  
  
  
Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me  
  
Part Six: Face of an Unwanted Individual  
  
* * *  
  
Begin Part Six  
  
* * *  
  


The rain pounded relentlessly on the stone path, coming down in sheets, and at times, blown completely sideways by the wind. Shelter was impossible to find, save for one spot in the middle of the town: a castle, tall and menacing. A hooded man stood just outside of its gates, hoping beyond hope and shouting above the driving winds for someone to open the large doors.  
  
Just as the wind picked up even more, they creaked open, and for dear life, he pulled himself inside, pulling the gate shut as best he could before running to an archway. He breathed a deep sigh of relief, finally thankful for receiving some sort of shelter.  
  
It didn't stop a crossing wind though, for as he stood there, he got a deep chill from the mixing of the wind and his damp clothes. He got nowhere trying to rub his arms down, and he knew that he would eventually get sick standing there.  
  
He desperately looked around for any sort of enclosed shelter, but found none in the archway he was in. Looking out though, he happened to see a wooden door in the distance. It was facing away from the wind, so he knew that it wouldn't be jammed closed or held wide open. He held his hand out into the wind, hoping for a slight break. Standing like that for nearly thirty seconds, he finally felt the break he was looking for and took off, heading out once again into the pouring rain, only this time it came more from above him than from the side.  
  
It took him ten seconds to cover the distance between the archway and the tower, and in those ten seconds, the wind unpredictably – or predictably, in case of viewpoint – change, slamming right into the door. It took all of his might – and another wind change – to finally pull the door open. He threw his body inside, just as the wind turned again, slamming the door and holding it shut.  
  
he muttered, catching his breath as best he could. He climbed to his knees and looked straight up, his eyes going wide at the site of the stairwell before him. It was a spiral staircase, going up ten stories easily. He leveled down some, coming upon a figure about halfway up.  
  
A girl? he questioned, his voice filled with curious confusion. There was a soft laughter in the tower before the sound of feet running filled the air. The girl had started to climb the stairs, looking down every two or three steps she took to see if he was following. He stayed on his feet for a few more moments before standing up, preparing to fly up and greet her at the top.  
  
The problem with that was he couldn't fly up. What the hell? he said aloud, looking down at his feet and wondering if the proverbial magic boots of energy stored within him disappeared to. He shrugged before looking up again at the stairs, seeing the girl now up three-quarters of the way. He took to the stairs, taking the steps two at a time in an attempt to get to the top faster.  
  
He reached the top in about three minutes, slowing his pace as he climbed higher and higher up. Pausing for a few moments to catch his breath at the top, he slowly made his way down the single hallway, arriving in front of the only door there. It was slightly open, and he took that as an invitation to enter. He pushed the door open and quietly stepped in, closing it behind him and moving into the dark room.  
  
He looked over to his left, seeing the only light in the room coming from a window. There wasn't much light – just the general blue dark associated with the night – so he could gauge the true depth of the room. He saw a lone coat stand by the window, and in the distance, he saw the edge of a bed with its covers hanging over the side.  
  
It wasn't until a lightning strike outside showed the true size of the room – and the revealing of the room's other occupant. The light, in that brief instant, showed the girl that he had been following. She was set in a long white nightgown that hung to her body nicely. She was petite, but not too petite, and she was perfectly proportioned for her size. He couldn't see her head though, as the lightning strike didn't reach that far.  
  
Don't worry I won't hurt you, he said reassuringly, hoping that she didn't think him as a serial killer of young women. I just need a space for the night, and I'll be gone by morning, after this storm lifts. He took off his jacket, hanging it over the coat rack before moving forward, coming into the soft light provided by the window. He looked at it again, hearing the wind slam off of it. The window creaked noisily, and he wondered how the single pane of glass held its place.  
  
It'll hold. It's been through worse, she said softly. He redirected his attention to her, trying hard to focus on where she was. He heard the bed rattle slightly, and he figured that she had taken to sitting on it.  
  
_That voice  
_  
Where should I stay? he asked her. The clothes on my back are my only belongings, though I can wait for my jacket to dry and sleep on that. He turned to look out the window, trying to see anything out in the distance. Even a flash of lightning couldn't penetrate the thick, pounding rain.  
  
You will stay with me, in my bed, she answered back, her voice as soft as it was before.  
  
He was shocked, to say the least. He looked in her direction, still unable to see her. I wish not to stay in your bed, he said after recovering. It would be indecent. What would your parents say? It was safe to say that she was young, around seventeen or eighteen. Someone of that age wouldn't have an entire tower – much less a castle – to herself.  
  
My parents have no say. They are away on business. She lit a candle and placed it on an end table. Even then, he couldn't see her face.  
  
It was like she had none.  
  
As for this storm, it has been like this for three straight days. It will continue to be like this for three more. She stood up and walked to him, stopping mere inches from his body. He looked down into her face, and even with the added candlelight, he still couldn't see her face.  
  
You have no choice but to stay with me. She grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him with her. Knowing where the bed was, she fell down onto it, pulling him on top of her.  
  
_I know that voice  
_  
What are you doing? he asked her, though he didn't know why. In a sense, he answered his own question, judging by the way he was slowly being manhandled.  
  
I wish to make love to you. She brought her right hand around his neck, pulling him to her lips. It was a soft, passionate kiss set solely on the lips, as it was her hope that he would want more.  
  
And he did, responding by kissing her in earnest. His arms found their way around her back, supporting her body. Meanwhile, her free arm found its way to his shirt, and in one swift movement, three buttons were yanked off.  
  
_Where have I heard this voice?  
_  
He gasped on her mouth, confused and yet aroused by her fiery nature. He reluctantly released the lip lock though; moving away from her face and breathing in some much needed air. She caught her breath as well while removing the last remaining buttons of his shirt. She slipped her hands underneath the rain soaked cloth and locked them around his lower back.  
  
All the while, they were looking into each other's eyes, and for the first time, he recognized something from this girl.  
  
_Soft, blue eyes  
_  
Why do you want this? he asked her.  
  
That's when she moved up next to his ear and whispered: I'm desperate.  
  
_It's her  
_  
Fuck me now.  
  
_Videl  
_  
And then he woke up.  
  


* * *  
  


The first thing Gohan found odd as he sat in his bed was how soaked he was. As he evened out his breathing, he felt around on the sheets behind him.  
  
They're drenched, he muttered. I got to get some new ones. He got out of bed, idly looking at his clock. It read twelve twenty-three.  
  
Gohan removed the sheets, tossing them in a random corner of his room. He pulled on a pair of shorts, covering his boxers, before walking out of the room, heading straight for the bathroom. He stuck his head underneath the facet, turning on the cold water and letting his head get cooled off. He eventually got out from under it, coming up and looking straight in the mirror.  
  
Why her? he said aloud. Why did I dream about her?  
  
Was it her in that dream last week as well? He knew the answer to the question, but then, it only left him in a greater state of confusion. He had met Videl earlier, and yet, he already had four dreams about her. He didn't want to start worrying about it now though. School was in less than seven hours, and he really wanted to get back to sleep.  
  
Turning to the closet, he pulled out a new set of covers, tucking them under his arm. He began walking back to his room when he made a small glance down the stairs. The light is still on, he muttered. Should I talk to her? Against better judgment – and the need for sleep – Gohan descended the stairs, looking to see if his mom was still awake, slaving away at the now current day's lunch.  
  
he asked, peeking his head into the kitchen. Instead of finding her at the counter, Gohan found his mother sleeping at the table with her arms under her head for support. I guess she overworked herself, he joked lightly.  
  
Gohan went over to her, carefully pulling her out of the seat and into his arms. Slowly, he made his way back upstairs, turning out the light by way of his teeth. Along the way, Chichi curled herself into Gohan's chest, causing him to stop in his tracks. He looked down oddly at his mother's actions.  
  
What's she doing? he whispered. He was answered by a soft sigh escaping her lips, followed by a single utterance.  
  
  
  
She's dreaming about Dad? Gohan whispered. He blinked a couple of times before letting a soft smile set on his face. It'll be nice to see him again I'll talk to her later about this dream. He resumed walking, making his way to his mother's room. He set her on the bed and pulled a cover around her, letting the sheets be her new warmth. She wiggled around for a moment before finding a comfortable spot to settle in.  
  
Night Mom, he said, pulling the door closed as he left. He returned to his room, putting the new sheets on his bed before climbing back in. Gohan was thankful that Goten didn't wake up this time to his little outburst.  
  
He got to sleep after ten minutes, and for some indescribable reason, he would never dream this dream again.  
  


* * *  
  


It seemed that waking up from a somewhat erotic dream made Videl's mood even worse. At first, she didn't care much about the soaked sheets. Those could be easily replaced. What bothered her was the fact that her bra happened to feel a little bit tighter at this moment, her panties had a different wet spot on them then what she had on the bed sheets, and the person that was the topic of her dreams was the one she had the most dislike to at the current time.  
  
fucking jerk, she muttered. She looked over to Kagero, seeing the young girl sleeping fitfully. Lucky you not having to worry about fucking boys.  
  
She rolled out of bed, removing and discarding her undergarments. Videl opted for only a new pair of panties, for she had her nightgown lying on the floor next to the bed. She carried it over her chest, exiting the room and making her way down the hall. She made a passing glance at a clock set next to the bathroom door.  
  
It's only eleven fifteen. Faye is still going to be up. She made a look of irritation before locking herself in the bathroom. Videl positioned herself in front of the sink, pulling apart her pigtails while turning on the cold water. She dunked her head in, letting the water cool her off.  
  
Why him? Why that fucking jerk? she asked, looking into the mirror. The dream came back to her vaguely. She remembered opening a door of sorts and standing by a bed. There was a guy that came in and she made idle talk with him before he advanced towards her. They ended up on the bed and he ended up telling her that he wanted her desperately.  
  
That was before the light shone on his face, showing Gohan in all his glory.  
  
Had it been anyone else, Videl would have shrugged it off, not giving a second glance at a weird fantasy with another man – or woman, if it ever occurred. It had been one of the few people that she didn't want to see at this time though, and it made her sour.  
  
Videl resorted to tying her hair back into a single ponytail, since she knew it would be too much of a hassle to tie it any other way. It would be back in her normal pigtails when she woke up the next morning, and it wouldn't take her long to tie them back anyway. She grabbed a new set of bed sheets and held them to her naked chest, picking up her nightgown on the way out of the bathroom.  
  
As she made her way back to her room, she looked down the hallway, seeing a light emanating from the stairwell. I'm not talking to her, Videl muttered. She slowly reentered her room and locked the door before making her way back to her bed. Looking over to Kagero and noticing that she was asleep, she dropped everything to the floor, removing the sheets and haphazardly tossing the new set on. She climbed into bed as she was and tightly wrapped the covers around her body.  
  
The last thing she did before finally settling completely was setting her alarm clock to wake her up five minutes earlier than normal. Videl yawned and fell back into her pillows, falling asleep four minutes later, muttering about Gohan and how much of a jerk he was.  
  
She too would never have this dream again.  
  


* * *  
  
End Part Six  
  
* * *  
  
  



	7. Review Special: Simple Nightly Visits

Disclaimer: see part one.  
  
Note five: I should have mentioned this last week, but unfortunately, I forgot. As you can see though, this is a review special that I'm uploading this week. The response thus far has been pretty pleasant, and I'm glad that you guys haven't started ringing my neck out with how slow this is coming along (note: don't start now either). The story will pick up with part seven, so do not fret. As I said though, here is a waff-y little review special. Enjoy.  
  
Note six: I will not be posting an update next Wednesday. I have other projects here that I want to get back into, and I'll need the week away from this story to do so. It's a one shot or two that I have going right now, and I want to dedicate some time towards them. I won't have anything posted within the next week, but do expect some form of one shot by the end of the year.  
  
We welcome sage back into the pre-reading mix. She had her two updates last week (both marvelous), and I'm glad to have her back on, making sure I don't screw up.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
Parallel and Perpendicular: Simple Nightly Visits  
  
  
A review special by ShaggyDiz  
  
  
* * *  
  
  


Chichi sighed. I don't know what to make of it. I mean; this is a strange dream, like you said. I'm no expert, but I think that a recurring dream like this has some sort of hidden meaning. If you have this one for a couple more nights, or if you get another one similar to this, let me know. Now go to bed.  
  
It was the most logical motherly advice she could have given him. Gohan had just woken up, telling her about a dream that had been plaguing him for the previous three nights. She was shocked, to say the least. _I really didn't expect him to tell me about it. He could have just left without making a single utterance!  
_  
Okay Mom, Gohan said, getting up and making his way to the stairs. Just as he got there, he paused. He went back to the kitchen, stopping at the entranceway. he asked.  
  
  
  
What are you doing up so late anyway? She got wide eyed for a moment, thinking for a moment that she was caught. She hid it nicely though, turning her face down and letting a small smile set on it.  
  
It's a secret, Gohan, Chichi said softly. I'll tell you what it is someday.  
  
Okay Mom. Goodnight. With that, he left the kitchen. Chichi sat at the table, waiting patiently while listening to Gohan ascend the stairs. She finally heard his door close and breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
It's safe, she spoke, making sure to keep her voice down so that her son wouldn't hear her. A few moments passed before a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her.  
  
That was a little close, he spoke from behind her. Does he do this often?  
  
she answered, shaking her head slightly. First time I really did expect him to turn and run.  
  
Well, he is our son, he stated, turning Chichi to face him. She looked up, meeting her husband's eyes. He doesn't know a great many things that he should know.  
  
her voice drifted off, not bothering to continue with her train of thought.  
  
It's not your fault, he said, his voice trying to reassure her.  
  
Don't try and tell me what is and isn't my fault, Chichi said angrily. She stood up, coming face to face with him.  
  
I'm sorry.  
  
I did what I thought was best.  
  
And you're doing it now.  
  
she asked, sarcasm hanging on the word.  
  
He reached out, lifting her chin to meet her gaze. He's starting school in less than two weeks. I would think that he's happy enough with that decision.  
  
Chichi nodded. He is. He likes the prospect of meeting people his age. She smiled softly, stepping up and hugging her husband. He reached around, hugging his hands over her shoulders.  
  
They stood like that for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company over the comfortable silence. Chichi eventually let go of her grasp, stepping away from him.  
  
Hot chocolate? she asked him.  
  
He nodded. I would like that. You know they never heard of that up in Other World.  
  
Really now? she answered curiously, grabbing her cup and a new one. The ingredients for the hot chocolate were still left on the counter from earlier.  
  
Yeah. Especially King Kai I know he drinks coffee, but when I mentioned hot chocolate to him, he said he didn't know! I figured that everyone – coffee drinker or not – would know about hot chocolate! His hands were up in the air, emphasizing his point greatly, though Chichi missed it all. She knew what he was doing though, since he had always acted like that.  
  
_He's the adult-sized kid that I've always known him to be.  
_  
Hey Chichi?  
  
She looked over her shoulder briefly, addressing him out of the corner of her eye.  
  
Can you write down the recipe for your hot chocolate? I'll try and make it up for everyone up there and – what's so funny?  
  
I'm sorry, she spoke in between laughs. Do you know how to make any sort of food or drink?  
  
Chichi! That hurt! He grabbed his chest in feigned pain, rolling around in his seat for added effect.  
  
I'm serious! she choked out. You've never done any sort of cooking when you were alive, and I doubt you would do any in Other World.  
  
I had to teach myself how to cook actually. Although the cooks still make tons of food, I still manage to take most of it. The other fighters were starting to get really mad at me.  
  
I would figure, Chichi responded, bringing the cups of hot chocolate to the table. She sat down and started blowing the hot air off of it.  
  
So then I decided that if I taught myself to cook, I can make extra food just for myself and let the other fighters have their fills. It took me a little while, but I can cook some mean rice and chicken. He took a sip – forgetting instantly that it was – and started waving his hand over his burning tongue. Muffled Hot! Hot! were heard from his side of the table.  
  
That's good. So when you come back, you can actually help with cooking this time, right? she asked, and almost regretted saying it. Her husband stopped blowing air on his tongue, looking at Chichi with a longing face.  
  
are you ever going to come back to me to stay this time with me and the boys?  
  
I don't know Chichi. I'm really enjoying it up there, and despite what the guys say we've all gotten used to each other. We're all friends.  
  
And what about me? How can you forget about me?  
  
I'm not! he shouted, a little too loudly for comfort. He sat back in his seat, looking straight into Chichi's eyes. Do you understand how hard it is for me to leave you every single time I come back here? It becomes so much harder for me to go back there because I'm always leaving you crying here.  
  
Then why not stay this time? she asked hopefully. It was unfortunate that she already knew the answer.  
  
I can't. The rules are very strict up there. I'm breaking them every time I come here too. He stood up, walking over to Chichi and placing his hands on her shoulders. I will come back someday for good.  
  
You say that every time, she said, sniffing. A single tear fell down from her eye. He reached out with his thumb, wiping the single streak away.  
  
I know. I'll find a way though, and when I do, we'll live together until the day we both die, and then we can both go up to Other World together. He pulled her into his chest, stroking her hair lightly with one of his hands. I promise. He held her for an indeterminable amount of time, listening to her sob away – soaking his _gi_ top in the process – until it ended softly. He pulled her away from him, looking down and seeing her sleeping, her head drooping down on his shoulder.  
  
She's exhausted herself, he said quietly. Carefully, he swung his arm under her legs, picking her up and holding her to his chest. He quietly made his way through the living room to the stairs, making his way up them before heading into her room. He left the bedroom light off, using the hallway light as his guide.  
  
He placed her on the bed, pulling the covers up around her to keep her warm. Chichi moved around the bed slightly before finding a comfortable spot to stay on.  
  
Always doing that, he whispered, coming on a memory of her doing that exact movement many years before. He bent down, kissing her forehead briefly before walking away. Looking at her one last time, he smiled, though it was a mixture of him being happy in general and a sad smile for the state that he was putting her in.  
  
It was a year after he died against Cell in which he started visiting her. He had kept silent watch over her in between then, watching her slowly rebuild her life without him. She had managed to survive though, giving birth to his second son and coming out of a depression that she was in.  
  
Ten months after his death, he had managed to find a way to get back to the living world. There was a dimensional tear, somewhere high above the Grand Kai's planet, which allowed passage to the living world. Using King Kai as an alibi, he set up meetings with Baba, and through her, he found his way back to Earth. His visits were short, and at times, inconsistent, as it would be nearly three weeks before he could return at one point.  
  
He eventually solidified his Other World routine, and with that, his visits to Chichi came twice a week, on Monday nights and Thursday nights. It was like this for the last four and a half years, and he had found a new happiness in these short visits, learning about things that he never set the time to do before.  
  
But now a new dilemma was presented before him: how to permanently come back to the living world. He had promised to Chichi to come back, but he had to find a way, and save for the Namekian Dragon Balls, he had no other way of finding a way back, except taking someone else's life. He wouldn't go so low as to do that, because then his next visit to Other World would quite possibly send him to hell, without his body. Besides, he had set up a deal with King Yema to allow Chichi to keep her body – and her youth – when she made her final crossing. It took two years to get it done, but he had been successful in the end.  
  
For now though, he would have to wait. There were no miracles of life given to people, in Other World or the living world, unless a person wishes to go back and be born into a new body. Patience was his ultimate virtue, and his unlikely enemy.  
  
I'll see you on Monday, he said to her sleeping form, closing the door behind him. He looked down the hall, smiling slightly at the door at the end of it.  
  
we'll all be one family again. With that, he held his fingers to his head and disappeared, traveling across space and dimensions, ending up back over Snake Way with Baba.  
  


* * *  
  
  
_Ten days later  
_

  


  


He was late, and he knew it. Damn Baba, he muttered as he appeared in the dining room of the house. Took you forever to get to that meeting point. Of course, he didn't yell at her then, or he would have never even been here. He would when he got back to Other World though.  
  
he whispered, hoping to catch her attention from wherever she was. He slowly crept his way towards the kitchen, following the only light source available to him on the first floor. Peeking in, he saw Chichi sleeping – somewhat oddly – on the kitchen table. She looked comfortable enough though, which was a good thing in general.  
  
I guess I should wake her up, he muttered. He stepped into the kitchen, ready to wake her up when he suddenly heard a creak coming from the stairs. He froze, seeing a shadow move into the kitchen light.  
  
he whispered harshly. He quickly jumped backward, landing in the living room and hiding himself in the darkness. He waited silently, keeping track of where Gohan was.  
  
he heard his son say. He cringed.  
  
_Why can't I just go out there and see him?  
_  
I guess she overworked herself, Gohan said from the kitchen, chuckling lightly as he did.  
It took every ounce of his will power to not go into the kitchen and take hold of his son. As much as he wanted to talk to him and become part of his life again, he knew he couldn't. He was already pushing things with Chichi. Adding someone else into the fold wasn't good, even if it was his older son.  
  
He missed the scraping of the chair on the floor, but he didn't miss the light being turned out. Slowly, he turned back into the kitchen, seeing Gohan carrying Chichi up the stairs. He kept a steady eye on him, watching as he stopped to stare down at the sleeping woman. He couldn't hear much of what he said, but he did hear the last thing his son said.  
  
It'll be nice to see him again  
  
_I'm right here Gohan  
_  
Gohan resumed walking, taking his mom the rest of the way upstairs. Meanwhile, he stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for his son to return to his room. The door was closed, and Gohan walked by a moment later, reentering his room and closing his door.  
  
He teleported into his wife's room; coming up next to the bed. Even in the darkness, he could still see Chichi's sleeping form.  
  
I'm sorry I missed you tonight, he whispered. He kissed her softly on her forehead before reaching into his _gi_, pulling out a folded piece of paper. Looking around, he found a pencil on one of the bureaus. He clicked on the light furthest from the bed and wrote a small note on an empty part of the sheet. Satisfied with his penmanship, he went back over to the bed, placing the note on the nightstand, with her name facing her. It would be the first thing she saw when she awoke the next morning.  
  
I'll see you on Thursday, Goku said with a smile, touching his fingers to his head, disappearing into the night.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Chichi awoke from her deep slumber, tossing around some before coming to the alarm clock. Six o'clock I have to get more sleep. She sat up, stretching and yawning as she did. As she stood up though, she looked back over to her nightstand. What's this? she asked in confusion, reaching over to pick up a piece of paper with her name on it. Down in the corner, she found a small, quickly written note.  
  
_Sorry I missed you last night Baba held me up. I'll see you on Thursday though, I promise – Goku  
_  
She sighed. Can't blame him I guess it's always been the type of life he's lived. Chichi opened the paper, looking over its contents briefly. She blinked a few times before smiling.  
  
Goku has some nice friends up there, she said, setting the paper face down on her bed, making sure to find a safe place for it after her shower.  
  
As she was in the shower, a slight wind came through the open window, flipping the paper over so that the contents were face up. On it, there were various thanks and signatures, all there for one reason:  
  
Chichi's hot chocolate.  
  
  
Fin.  
  
  


* * *  
  



	8. 1:7 Same Old Sh t Everyday

Disclaimer: see part one.  
  
Well, I'm back. I didn't get much done last week, though I did start a couple more projects (one with a certain angst-y authoress). Like I said though, I wasn't going to post anything last week. But now that I've relaxed for a week, I'm glad to be back around, and be prepared for seven straight weeks of updating. It's going to be a bumpy ride.  
  
I'm uploading this one day early. I'm seeing Mars Volta at the Electric Factory tonight, and I don't think I'll be awake enough to make my usual Wednesday midnight updates.  
  
Oh, and ViG, I'll be getting around to reviewing your latest chapters by the end of the week.  
  
Pre-reads done by PsYChO this time, and once again, criticizes me on my really crappy spelling at times.  
  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
Parallel and Perpendicular  
  
  
A romance/fiction story by ShaggyDiz  
  
  
Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me  
  
Part Seven: Same Old Shit Everyday  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
Begin Part Seven  
  
  
* * *  
  
  


Gohan woke on the second ring of his alarm clock, reaching over to it quickly and turning it off before Goten woke. He stretched and yawned as he sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Another routine morning, he muttered before standing up.  
  
He quickly showered and got dressed, making his way downstairs and seeing Goten with his head on the table. Why are you up? Gohan asked his brother.  
  
You woke me up again, he spoke into the table, making it sound somewhat muffled.  
  
The teen chuckled slightly. I'm sorry about that, he apologized, rubbing his head lightly. Gohan looked around the rest of the kitchen, seeing that it was missing its most regular occupant. Where's Mom?  
  
Goten said, still on the table. He stuck his hand out though, showing some sign of life within him. She seemed much livelier than yesterday for some reason.  
  
Oh really? he questioned. Just as he moved to take his seat, the back door swung open, revealing Chichi with a basket of laundry.  
  
Morning Gohan! she greeted happily. Pancakes will be ready in a moment. I just have to run these up stairs. She disappeared a moment later.  
  
Very odd, Gohan muttered.  
  
Told you, came the muffled response from Goten. A few moments later, Chichi returned to the kitchen. She quickly prepared and dished out several layers of pancakes to the boys. Goten immediately came to life when the first plate arrived at his lowered head.  
  
Hey Gohan, Chichi started, looking over to the teenager.  
  
He stopped eating, briefly glancing over to her.   
  
Did you take me upstairs last night? I swore I fell asleep at the table. Yesterday was much longer than I thought it was.  
  
He nodded. I had that dream again, Gohan spoke quietly, keeping his voice at a lower octave to that of Goten's frenzied eating. There was a face this time. It was of this girl from class blue eyes, black hair she looked to be the same from those dreams from last week.  
  
Really now? Gohan nodded. I take it you wanted to talk to me about them again, but instead, you found me asleep.  
  
Yeah. This one was more defined though. The same thing happened, but it was scripted, in a way. He looked over to his mom for answers, but Chichi turned out to be just as confused as he was.  
  
Try not to worry about it. Keep in mind that you've only known her for a day, and that you are just mere acquaintances. She leaned over the table, moving close so that she would be able to whisper. Don't stare at her either. She'll think something's up.  
  
Gohan blushed, and then nodded. try not to. He finished the rest of his breakfast and made his way to the door.  
  
Leaving early today? Chichi asked him as he picked up his bag.  
  
I'm going to try and make some rounds around the city. Hopefully I don't spend too much time out there. He walked out of the house, lifting off into the air. He said his final goodbyes to Chichi and Goten before blasting off once again to Satan City.  
  
The flight to the city was quicker than normal today, giving him the opportunity to fly around as his costumed alter ego. He had decided upon Great Saiyaman has his super hero name, though he didn't know why. It had a nice ring to it, that he remembered, and Goten seemed to enjoy it when he finally decided on the name. He also did a few poses, getting a few good laughs out of Goten before looking at himself in the mirror. Too Ginyu Force, he had muttered.  
  
That was the last time he would perform those moves. It wouldn't have been a good idea to have a name like and strike poses. Vegeta would surely kill him, and every other dead Saiyan would definitely roll over in their graves.  
  
He flew around the city several times, keeping above the clouds so that people wouldn't be able to see him right away. His basic game plan was this: with a keen eye, he would spot a crime happening below him. He would then swoop in and declare who he was before stopping the crime and flying off.  
  
That was the general plan.  
  
He never expected the city to be so quiet though.  
  
I guess they knew I was coming, Gohan said jokingly before moving on to the school. He looked down at his watch (the one with the time) and saw that he had fifteen minutes remaining before homeroom started. Plenty of time, he said confidently.  
  
Gohan landed in the small-forested field from where he had lunch the day before, quickly looking around before completely dropping to the ground. He disengaged his costume and took off his watch, putting it into his bag. One functioning watch is enough, he spoke under his breath.  
  
He arrived at his homeroom with five minutes to spare, taking his seat next to Erasa. She was the only one there at the time.  
  
Good morning, Gohan greeted.  
  
Hey Gohan! How are you doing? she asked, her voice bubbly in its presentation.  
  
I'm fine. He looked past her and then to the empty seat next to him. Where are the others?  
  
Sharpener is probably still in bed, she said, a little disappointment in her voice. she usually gets here about a minute before homeroom starts. It's their normal routine.  
  
He nodded. Gohan turned to the front of the class, and just as he did so, the door swung open harshly. Videl stepped into the room, and from Gohan's vantage point, she seemed to be in a very horrid mood.  
  
This doesn't look good, he whispered over to Erasa. The blonde looked down at her rapidly approaching friend, gulping in surprise.  
  
Well, if it isn't her morning PMS tirade, then I have no idea why she's like this, she said, half lying as she did. Gohan nodded – not picking up what Erasa fully meant – and turned to Videl just as she was taking her seat.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Videl woke up on the second ring of her alarm clock, reaching over as quickly as she could to turn it off before Kagero woke up. She turned to her left side, seeing that the child was still asleep, though it would only be for a few more minutes. Slowly, she sat up, holding the blankets to her bare chest, stretching one arm before the other. Another routine morning, she muttered before getting out of bed.  
  
She quickly showered and returned to her room, seeing Kagero sitting on her bed staring right at her. Videl said softly, coming to her nightstand.  
  
I'm sorry, she muttered apologetically.  
  
Videl looked over to the girl, seeing the sad look on her face. Don't worry about it, just watch what you say.  
  
Kagero stood up, grabbing her towel before leaving the room. I know, she said on the way out.  
  
The teen merely shook her head. She quickly got dressed, making her way downstairs to the dining room table. Videl sat there, waiting for breakfast for one of the few people that she didn't want to see at the current time.  
  
Faye came out, carrying a short stack of pancakes and a platter of scrambled eggs. I'll have some more out in a few minutes if you want anymore, she simply said, turning and heading back into the kitchen.  
  
_She knows it as much as I do._ Videl was slow to eat breakfast, deciding on just picking into it instead of eating it completely. She eventually got to eating it after Kagero got to the dining room, though by now the syrup had made her pancakes mostly soggy.  
  
The girls soon finished their meals and set off for school, saying a quick goodbye to Faye before leaving. The ride to school was unreasonably long, mostly due in fact that Videl, for the most part, refused to talk. As much as she wanted to just get over the events from yesterday, she couldn't. Kagero had pushed too far this time, and while it was stupid to do so, the silent treatment would have to for now. Either that, or she would keep talking to the girl about her life and have Faye come along, trying to do her surrogate mother role with her.  
  
Videl would admit that she needed it. She would also say that she was a big enough girl who could handle her own problems. All the blame couldn't be put on the maid though, since she had to deal with Kagero and her child-like problems.  
  
Of course, some of the things talked about in the Satan household should never be kept as secrets.  
  
She dropped off Kagero at her school, telling her to have a good day and the normal reminder of pickup time. She lifted off again; looking down at her console and seeing that she had less than twenty minutes left before school started. Not caring about any crime happening in the city (she was oddly surprised by the lack of any crime occurring at this time), she decided to go straight to school and get ready for the day ahead.  
  
She had also remembered then that she had never done her advanced mathematics homework. Silently cursing, Videl decided to just do it in between the classes before her scheduled math period. _Either that, or borrow off of Gohan, since he seems to know what he's doing. Then again that would add more to whatever pitying devices he has.  
_  
Videl landed on the roof ten minutes later, encapsulating her copter and quickly running to the stairs, swiftly moving down them to her homeroom. She turned to walking as she got off of the stairs, not wanting to gather the attention of anyone in the halls if she ran. She made her way to her locker and rummaged through her stuff, taking whatever stuff she needed for the class.  
  
Ah, good morning Ms. Videl, the sarcastic sounding voice of Mr. Lou said from behind.  
  
She closed her locker and turned to face him coolly. she spoke evenly.  
  
And how are we doing today?  
  
Just fine. Now if you excuse me, I'll be heading to class. Videl stepped around him, not bothering with giving any sort of deathly look to him.  
  
You know I heard that that Son kid stood up for you yesterday. She stopped in her tracks, slowly clenching her fist. What did say to him to provoke that: a blowjob? I'm curious.  
  
It was the one thing that nearly pushed her over the edge. Ever since the incident, the majority of the faculty had accused her of being something that she wasn't. A few notable exceptions – like Mrs. Honeydew – knew of the real truth, and they had supported her where others had not. No one could deter Mr. Lou though, or his self-pleasing comments.  
  
You want to get a rise out of me? she asked bitterly. Videl looked over her shoulder, glaring into his eyes. You'll have to do much better than that, you know.  
  
He smirked. I know. Or have you already forgotten that we're only on the second day of school? We still have another one hundred fifty plus days left of school, and I'm just warming up.  
  
So am I, she said walking away, adding under her breath: stupid motherfucker. She looked at her watch, noticing the time. Shit, two minutes left. I'm just glad that stupid fuck is my homeroom teacher.  
  
Videl got to the room with one minute left, opening the door more harshly than intended, though most people in the room, from what she noticed, saw the low look she was giving. She quickly made her way to her seat, seeing Erasa and Gohan sitting there, watching her walk up the stairs.  
  
_Shit got to deal with his pitying ass._ She sat down just as Gohan turned to look at her fully.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Good morning Videl, he greeted brightly.  
  
She stared at him momentarily, looking at the happy smile ser on his face. _Is this some sort of façade?_ Videl didn't know what to think of it. She eventually had to stop staring at him, so she decided to play whatever game he was playing. Good morning, she said, letting the barest of smiles show on her face.  
  
Hey Videl! What's up with you this morning? Erasa asked from behind Gohan.  
  
Oh that Mr. Lou was being a douche like always. It's nothing too much to worry about. She turned back to the front of the class, ignoring the bell and Mr. Lou as he walked into class, a smug look plastered on his face.  
  
Gohan didn't buy it though. He glanced at Videl out of the corner of his eye. _There's more to it than she lets on._ He looked to the font, seeing the teacher going over the instructions for the first class. _I'll listen to Mom, and not pursue the truth for now.  
_  
The lesson began as soon as the second bell rang. It was then that Sharpener arrived, a sheepish look set on his face. He handed the office note to Mr. Lou before going up to his seat and facing his girlfriend.  
  
are you ever going to show up for school on time? Erasa asked him with an almost pitying look.  
  
I did yesterday, he responded coolly.  
  
Yesterday doesn't count, you know. She looked to the front of the class, intent on learning and not caring about her boyfriend's excuses, or the hurt look that was beginning to form on his face.  
  
_Is Sharpener always late?_ Gohan thought, looking over to the blonde jock, and sending him a silent greeting. _This is his last year I wonder if he actually wants to graduate.  
_  
He turned to the front, listening to the teacher's slow lecture about early Earth history. He got it all when he was younger, and he still clearly remembered it now. Still, it would be good to see if there were any flaws in his lectures. He would wait a little while before doing that though. _I'd have to gain her trust before pulling something as foolhardy as that.  
_  
Gohan wouldn't get that chance today.  
  
It was about twenty minutes into the class that a watch beeped loudly. Curious, Gohan turned to see that it was Videl's watch that was going off. _Now that's stupid. Why would her alarm go off now?_ He was proved wrong when she brought her wrist up in front of her face.  
  
Go ahead chief, she said into the mouthpiece.  
  
_Chief?  
_  
Videl, we got ourselves a situation! he shouted in a panicked voice.  
  
I'm listening.  
  
There is a bank robbery in progress over in center city. A new gang calling themselves the Blue Bloodhounds has taken control of the bank with an unknown amount of hostages. We need your expertise Videl!  
  
Another gang, huh? I'm on my way chief. She closed the communication link and stood up, looking over to Erasa briefly before descending the stairs.  
  
And where are you off to, Ms. Satan? Mr. Lou asked from the board.  
  
Bank robbery it looks like I'll be missing a good portion of the class. Her voice was heavy on sarcasm.  
  
Fine, fine. Stop by later for notes and everything else that you will miss.  
  
Don't worry, she said, opening the door, I'm having them taken care of as we speak. With that, Videl left, closing the door behind her.  
  
Anyway, the second major civilization Mr. Lou spoke, turning back to the board and continuing with the lecture.  
  
Gohan didn't care though. He had all but phased out the discussion from his mind, focusing on what just transpired before him.  
  
_Videl she's a police officer?_  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
End Part Seven  
  
  
* * *  
  



	9. 1:8 Unfocused Agendas and Scenarios

Disclaimer: see part one.  
  
Pre-reader, once again, was PsYChO, who, once again, ripped me a new one. Thanks, ya boob.  
  
Warning! Parts eight and nine contain vivid descriptions of graphic violence. You have been warned.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
Parallel and Perpendicular  
  
  
A romance/fiction story by ShaggyDiz  
  
  
Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me  
  
Part Eight: Unfocused Agendas and Scenarios  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
Begin Part Eight  
  
  
* * *  
  
  


Videl raced down the hall to the main stairwell, opting to exit on the first floor instead of the roof. Energy conservation was a must for today if she wanted to take out an entire gang of thugs. Exiting from the ground level worked nicely from the second floor, and the convenient side exit made things much easier.  
  
Climbing up past the fifth floor to the roof just to launch a jet copter was – putting it bluntly – pointless.  
  
Of course, it all depended on where she was in school at the time. Any class above the third floor would have her take the roof. Any class below it was a ground exit.  
  
Anything on the third floor depended on the urgency of the situation.  
  
Today was very urgent, and her exit of school routine reflected that. Her pace was much quicker than normal, and her breathing was shallower. Everything was done on the run; from the moment she left the room until she got outside.  
  
Even then, she wouldn't stop. After nearly kicking the doors off their hinges, she quickly ascertained the largest open spot available. More often than not, the parking lot immediately outside of the door she used had the greatest amount of space available, and today was no exception.  
  
Clicking on the capsule, she tossed it into the air, watching it explode into her copter. She didn't wait for the smoke to clear, for she went straight for the door, knowing where it was by touch alone. Moments later, she came flying out of the smoke, pulling straight up into the air before turning and heading towards center city.  
  
All the while, several scenarios played out in her head. She had faced several gangs in the past, and every time that she did, she always had the chief of police and several of his best men fight right by her side. Whether it was basic camaraderie among men – and woman – or just to get their hands dirty, they really didn't know. She didn't mind it either way, mostly because they were with her.  
  
Of course, she never wanted to do this herself, or she would have a completely different view of the police. Her views were half biased as it was, seeing that the large majority of the police department would arrive late and proceed to either lounge around waiting for the cleanup duty, or just not even bother with it, noticing whether or not she was there. It would often be her and the chief taking care of the reports without any help from the so-called Donut Boys.  
  
Today, though, she knew it would be different. She had never heard of the Blue Bloodhounds before, which she partly blamed herself for. She carried a huge disadvantage going to the bank: for all she knew, there could be twenty gunmen at the bank. Dealing with them and the general ineptness of the Satan City Police would create a more stressful situation.  
  
That's the knowledge she carried with herself that day as she flew past the bank. She circled around, spotting a decent sized taskforce there, all with their guns drawn, aimed at the front entrances of the bank.  
  
She smirked. _Chief must of set them straight for once._ Coming around once again, she landed a short distance behind the police line.  
  
There was one scenario that Videl didn't play out as she ran up to the chief: the morbid fact that this day would change her life.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Resuming from that unneeded interruption, the third major civilization on Earth dates back nearly six thousand years ago, Mr. Lou spoke, once again turning to the board and writing down the notes from his handwritten papers. He didn't look up to Gohan when he faced the class, for he would have reprimanded him for spacing out.  
  
The teen, meanwhile, had been following Videl's movements since the moment the classroom door shut. Keeping track of her energy signature – something he just started doing now – he marveled at the speed she was moving at.  
  
_She's done this type of thing before. She's unconsciously moving fast and faster as she goes. Amazing!  
_  
There was still one thing that needed to be answered though, and the ones to answer that question were the two blondes sitting next to him. Pulling out a sheet of paper, he jotted down a quick question before sliding it over to Erasa.  
  
The blonde girl looked down from her note taking, seeing the note lying next to her. She pulled it over on top of her notes before reading it.  
  
_What does Videl do?  
_  
She looked over to him, seeing that he was taking down notes as well, but glancing an occasional eye over to her. Erasa nodded and wrote down a quick response.  
  
_Volunteer police officer.  
_  
_So she is a police officer but why?_ He went back to the paper, writing down a single word before sliding it back.  
  
_  
_  
Erasa looked over to him, raising a slight eyebrow as she did. She went down to the note though, taking about a minute to write down what she thought he needed to know.  
  
It was a minute that he would have needed the most.  
  
She slid the note over, satisfied with what it said. Looking back to the board, she quickly resumed her note taking.  
  
_It's kinda like a volunteer fire fighter, but with the police. She's trained in a variety of tactics and gun use. She's been doing this for over three years now. Ask her personally for other info.  
_  
Slowly, the pieces began to fit together. Gohan remember the week before, when someone his mom spotted looked like the person from his dream.  
  
The original dream black hair, petite frame he remembered it.  
  
Videl was in his dream last night. Black hair petite frame  
  
Videl, in real life, has black hair and a petite frame.  
  
And she was a crime fighter.  
  
_I've been dreaming about her for two whole weeks!_ It's what his mind screamed several times. _But why have I dreamt about her when I only met her yesterday?  
_  
More pieces fell around him, and the puzzle grew in size. He was stumped beyond reason. There had to be some sort of coincidence as to why he started dreaming about a girl.  
  
The mall black hair petite frame  
  
_She was the one at the mall!_ His mind shouted, going into overdrive. And yet, as that happened, his confusion grew. _Why did I dream about a girl that I caught one glimpse of and met only yesterday?  
_  
Simple and utter mass confusion reigned in his head. He had no answer to this dilemma. Unless  
  
he whispered aloud.  
  
He wouldn't believe the concept. So he saw the girl in the mall, dreamt about her and met her yesterday it would be more of a coincidence if anything.  
  
Could it?  
  
He stopped for a moment, remembering what started his whole inner rambling. Reaching out with his senses, Gohan searched for the one person that would be able to help him the most.  
  
_Damn! She's already there!_ He cursed himself again, realizing that he shouldn't have dwelled on his current problems. Whether or not Videl knew what she was doing, he didn't want her to get hurt.  
  
Even he knew that the odds were against her today with the new gang.  
  
Gohan had little time to find a way out of class. The most obvious outburst – tell Mr. Lou that he's a superhero in disguise – was stupid and laughable at best. Providing a demonstration would be even worse.  
  
He had to get out of the room though, and he needed to get out now. That's when it hit him.  
  
_The bathroom!_ It was brilliant. He would go there, transform, and then fly out the window. He'd have to time everything perfectly though, to make sure no one got suspicious of his absence.  
  
So that was his final plan: find an empty bathroom, fly out the window and be back five minutes later. He'd have to learn the various locales of the city, and he sure wouldn't go out on every single police call.  
  
Enough thinking. Time to act.  
  
Gohan raised his hand, gaining Mr. Lou's attention as soon as he turned from the board.  
  
Yes Mr. Son? he asked him. Is this a question about my lecture?  
  
Actually, it isn't. I need to go to the bathroom. He started twisting his face slightly for some added subtle effect.  
  
I don't see a problem with it. Just try not to make a habit of it, like some people around here, he said, making pointed glares at some of the offending persons.  
  
Thank you! Gohan shouted a little to happily. He vaulted down the stairs, grabbed the hall pass and exited the room in five seconds flat, missing the offhand comments of several of his classmates and the teacher.  
  
He found himself outside a half a minute later, thankful that the first bathroom he found was empty. He flew straight up in the air, coming to a stop nearly a mile from the ground. where is that bank at? Gohan inquired to himself, reaching out with all of his senses towards the general direction of center city.  
  
The sound of small arms fire reached his ears, causing him to turn his sight slightly to the left. He found what he was looking for: a three-story building sitting in front of a moderate sized skyscraper.  
  
I can feel her she's running in SHIT!  
  
He felt it.  
  
Some bigger, stronger and faster  
  
Gohan flew, hoping to get there in time.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


What's the situation chief? Videl asked, receiving a Kevlar vest from the chief.  
  
Pretty bad. We got an unknown amount of hostages, though it's assumed that there are at least twenty scattered in small and larges groups around the building.  
  
What about this new gang? she asked, grabbing a holster belt and strapping it around her waist.  
  
Not much. They apparently just showed up today, robbing a small jewel store before showing up here. We managed to break into the camera system, and we found six men, all armed with automatic rifles.  
  
_At least I can't blame myself for the complete lack of knowledge on this gang._ leave us with the pea shooters. She looked over to his laptop, seeing the live feed into the bank. Is this how you got an estimated count on the hostages?  
  
He nodded. The SWAT team is running late as usual. It'll be you, me, Dip and Salsa.  
  
Videl looked over the chief's shoulder, taking note of her usual partners for large holdups and hostage situations. Both were lean and quick footed, and while they lacked a true fighting prowess, Dip and Salsa had nerves of steel. They were always the first to the scene and always by the chief's side.  
  
What about the Donut Boys? she asked.  
  
They're here. I'm actually surprised that they've stayed this long already. He looked down to his video feed, flipping back and forth between cameras. They'll be gone once the SWAT arrives anyway.  
  
Videl looked down at the assortment of clips in front of her. Rubber rounds?  
  
If we get into the bank, then at least we won't accidentally kill a hostage. Take a few of those and a few live rounds as well. The chief cocked his gun, turning on his knees and looking through the windows of the cruiser.  
  
All right here's the plan. Videl and I will flank on the left and try to catch them off guard at the entrance. That is our only way in and their only way out, which doesn't play to either of our favors. I want Dip and Salsa to cross into the parking lot, taking cover behind the cars that are there and draw their fire away from us. The rest of the guys here will cover your backs and make sure nothing bad happens. He glanced over to the rest of the officers there, who gave him thumbs up, though he wasn't sure whether or not it was for actual backup or if they were there just for the hell of it.  
  
Hey chief, are we taking any flash bangs? Dip asked.  
  
Yeah. Each of you take two and use them only when we get inside. The chief reached into the grenade case, pulling out a smoke bomb. He hooked it to his vest before looking down to Videl. You ready?  
  
As ready as I'll ever be.  
  
She didn't wait for the command to run. It was always a silent one, for as soon as she responded to that question, they were off and running, taking cover behind the police cars. They moved rapidly, coming upon a blind spot to the bank. There were only two cameras outside of the bank: one covering the front entrance and one covering the drive through window. Those were fixed cameras at that, giving them a slight advantage at getting close to the bank.  
  
That was the developed strategy set by their mini-SWAT force. Videl, with her short size and excellent fighting ability, made it easy for her to attain a stealth-like movement. The chief had learned from her how to make himself smaller than he was, and also to move quietly, and soon, they were the ones instigating the main attack. Dip and Salsa were always the backing fire, covering whatever they could from separate points. They were quick on the trigger, always laying down support fire, confusing the criminals into thinking that there were more than the two of them.  
  
It was the perfect tangent, and it worked every time. No one was ever killed or injured, for they were that efficient.  
  
The pair came up next to the bank, looking around the corner towards the entrance. There were two men there, each carrying small automatic rifles. They had taken cover behind a pillar and a car, taking shots when they could at Dip and Salsa.  
  
One shot to each of them Videl, the chief said, pulling back around the corner. There is only one in our line of fire. Once we knock him out, the second one should pull back, so either we get him or the other guys get him.  
  
Videl looked around the corner briefly, making her own assumptions about the scene. I can get the guy behind the car. They're too occupied to notice us, so I can get behind this car here and take him out. We'll be fine after that.  
  
The chief took a look again. We'll do that then. I'll lead the rush when we get to the entrance.  
  
She nodded, and then bolted out, crouching down behind the compact vehicle. She turned around and looked over the hood, noting that the situation didn't change.  
  
At the same time, they both took a single shot, each of their rubber bullets hitting their intended targets in the back of their necks. They both fell down in a heap, knocked out immediately by the impact of the bullets.  
  
Two down chief, Videl whispered over, double-checking from her viewpoint.  
  
I see. He moved along the path slowly, keeping his gun out in front of him. Videl moved up behind him, watching his back and making sure nothing did come up from behind them.  
  
He put a hand up when they reached the entrance, motioning for a full stop. The chief looked over to Dip and Salsa, telling them to keep their positions with a simple hand motion. They complied, keeping their guns trained on the front doors.  
  
It's going to be just me and you going in, the chief said, looking down behind him. I'm not risking anything today. You watch my back, and I'll watch yours.  
  
  
  
he muttered, grabbing the smoke bomb from his vest and pulling out the pin. Quietly, he ran to the doors, pulling one open and tossing the bomb in, letting the lobby fill up in smoke. He pulled back to one of the pillars, taking cover behind it.  
  
They stayed in position for a few moments, patiently awaiting the smoke to do its job. It wasn't a tear gas of any sorts, but a simple, heavy smoke. It immediately clung to the surrounding air, and it made breathing difficult. The smoke itself wasn't toxic, but it could easily cause even the strongest of individuals to go running for fresh air.  
  
Ready Videl? the chief asked from his crotched position. She sent a nod in his direction, gripping the gun in her hands.  
  
He made one final command, signaling the pair behind him to come up once they entered the building. He didn't wait for a confirmation, as he swiftly ran forward, pulling the door open and running in, Videl falling in behind him two seconds later.  
  
She never entered the building, for one second before that; the chief came flying out of it. He landed on his side nearly ten feet from the entrance, unmoving as a small pool of blood formed around his head. Videl was at his side immediately, pulling him onto his back. She gasped at the sight of the chief, seeing the right side of his face covered in blood, and his jaw line snapped in two different places. He was conscious, but barely.  
  
she cried out, trying in vain to snap him out of his shocked state. She suddenly heard footsteps approaching from behind, and as quick as she could, she turned towards the figure, letting off a quick round. It wasn't until she heard a second gun shoot that she knew she was in trouble. The bullet impacted her square in the chest, forcing her backwards onto her back. Videl was thankful for the Kevlar that protected her, but it still wasn't enough to forcibly expel all of the air in her lungs.  
  
Well, well if it isn't the famous Videl Satan. How disappointing I expected much more from you. Videl turned to look at the figure, clutching her chest as she did, still gasping for air. Even with blurry vision, she could still tell that the man was huge. He stood nearly seven feet in height and easily weighed three hundred fifty pounds, most of it solid muscle. In his left hand he carried a shotgun like weapon, though she doubted it was one, seeing that the chamber size was too big for even twelve gauge shells. His right hand carried a standard sized nine-millimeter handgun, though visibly augmented for rapid fire.  
  
she heard from behind. It was Salsa, standing tall behind one of the cars in the lot. His aim was straight at the man's chest, and he was shooting to kill.  
  
I think not, the gang member said, leveling his larger weapon at Salsa. The cop took a split second to realize what kind of weapon it was before turning and running. He was on the grass two seconds later when the car exploded, sending him flying into the police barrier.  
  
Now where is the other cop? the man questioned idly. He briefly scanned the surrounding area, quickly finding him off to his right. He quickly emptied his handgun into the car, forcing Dip into cover behind the car's engine block.  
  
Watch the chief and his help, he addressed to a pair of men behind him. They both carried small automatic rifles, much like the first two gunmen. He soon looked down to Videl, who had still yet to recover from the short-range shot, and grinned maliciously at her. Kill them if they move I'm going to take my sweet time with this.  
  
He strapped his rocket propelled grenade launcher to his back before bending down and lifting Videl up by the vest. She was brought up to face level, but kept at an arm's length away from the massive man.  
  
You wouldn't believe how much of a trap this was girl, he said. His smirk grew larger with every passing second. We knew what you were going to do, and when you would do it. It's kind of like a video rental, you know? We watched you over and over again well, I didn't.  
  
What are you rambling on about? Videl asked defiantly, her voice rough when she spoke.  
  
You still act big and tough even when you're facing death I am truly impressed. Those idiot Red Shark members described you perfectly, though they never had you in a near death situation.  
  
What the fuck? You two trade secrets or something?  
  
If it were possible, his smirk grew even wider. Not really. There's hardly any connection between my gang and their gang. He pulled her in close, so that their faces were only a foot apart. We all have the same handler, and he's the one that set up this little trap today.  
  
He tossed her on the ground roughly. He told us to stake out this bank, and we did that. He gave us the layout of the security system, and he told me to stay out of the view, cause he knew you would be able to break into it and see what was happening inside.  
  
It was perfectly staged from the word 'go'. Fuck this shit group wasn't even formed until today. That jewel store thing was just to get your fat asses moving! There was a groan heard, and they all looked over to the chief. He was slowly stirring, though his groan was more in deep pain.  
  
Hey boss he's waking up, the gunmen to his left said, informing him of the obvious.  
  
I know. Keep your eye on everyone else I'll take care of this. He slipped his foot under the chief and flipped him over onto his stomach. I should just kill him, since he's the chief, he said, looking over to Videl again.  
  
That won't work though. I'll let him live in embarrassment, over your death, and his inevitable retirement! The leader raised his foot up over the chief's back and slammed his heal down, smashing the eighth vertebrate into nothing, snapping the spinal cord right underneath it.  
  
Videl cried out, though her voice was drowned out by the hoarse scream from the downed chief. As quickly as it started, he went quiet, passing out from the immense pain.  
  
Damn sissy passing out that fast from something as small as that.  
  
Videl leapt from her spot on the ground, charging fist first into the leader's face. She caught him with a straight jab and followed that up with a second one. It never reached its target, as her fist was snatched out of the air. She was left dangling in front of his turned face, and the energy her body just had had suddenly vanished from her.  
  
He cocked his head back over, looking into her eyes. There was a thin line of blood running from his lip. That actually hurt, bitch. It's a shame I'll never get a chance to rape you. He tossed her to the side, placing his gun right between her eyes.  
  
Last words. You have three seconds. One  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He smirked. That's nice.  
  
  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


He had misjudged his flight horribly, not knowing how big Satan City really was. He had the one view yesterday, but other than that, he never really knew the true depth of the city. It took him nearly a minute to reach the bank, and in that minute, everything had changed. He heard what he thought was the opening volley of bullets, and while he was flying, there was a short lull in the shooting.  
  
That's when he felt him again.  
  
This isn't good! Gohan kept shouting out loud. He felt it again. This time, Videl was hurt. He felt her energy fluctuate, but never cease.  
  
It did build back up to a certain degree, but he knew it was no good. He still had to save her. She could get hurt, or even worse, killed.  
  
And that's when he saw it.  
  
He arrived over the bank – still three quarters of a mile up – just in time to see one of the officers get flipped over, and his back snapped in two.  
  
  
  
He was too late. Someone suffered, and even from this distance, he heard it. He couldn't ignore it. The scream of a man in agony it burned his very being.  
  
He snapped.  
  
The energy burst out of him in floods, changing him into the one thing he didn't want to be when he was crime fighting. It was his fault though. He thought, and he thought, and then he acted.  
  
He acted too late, and he thought too much.  
  
A man was now paralyzed for his stupidity.  
  
he shouted into the blue sky. He transformed, his golden hair blasting off the turban that hid his disguised hair. It didn't matter though. He was a Super Saiyan.  
  
No one would recognize him now.  
  
He looked down, discarding the glasses that covered his face. He felt it.  
  
she's fighting back  
  
It was in vain. He watched as she was caught, and he heard his words.  
  
I'll never get a chance to rape you.  
  
Even from so far up, he heard them clear as day. heartless bastard, he muttered. His blood boiled even more, and he knew that he wanted to tear this guy limb from limb. It was what he wanted. It was what he demanded.  
  
He could taste his blood now.  
  
He was giving in, and he knew it.  
  
And then he looked down again, and he saw Videl harmlessly tossed aside, only to have a gun shoved right between her eyes. He heard it again.  
  
  
  
He had three seconds. He blasted straight down, flying faster than he thought he could. He had to get there though. He had to save her.  
  
  
  
He had to save her.  
  
  
  
But why?  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Hammer set.  
  
Trigger pulled.  
  
Click.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
End Part Eight  
  
  
* * *  
  



	10. 1:9 One Hundred Twenty Seconds

Disclaimer: see part one.  
  
Pre-reads were done by PsYChO and sage of angst, who both got a huge kick out of my big pimpin' style all right, they just got a huge kick out of seeing me in a pimp's hat.  
  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
  
Parallel and Perpendicular  
  
  
  
A romance/fiction story by ShaggyDiz  
  
  
  
Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me  
  
Part Nine: One Hundred Twenty Seconds  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Begin Part Nine  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  


Tick.  
  
Tick.  
  
Tick.  
  
It was the slow drumming sound of milliseconds going forward. And in that time, everything could be seen.  
  
Not exactly everything can be seen, but something that the eye has caught onto. Moving one's head to the left or right would take a whole second, so trying to see something to the side in slow motion would be near impossible.  
  
It was Videl's perspective that haunted her. The world seemed to come to a near pause when she saw the hammer swing down. It was easy to see, if only she focused completely on it. Her gaze instead was on the gun owner's eyes. She wanted desperately to do something with that devilish grin plastered on his face.  
  
She couldn't though. She was weak and powerless to do anything. This ogre of a man had bested her, something which she never did see coming. Videl had always assumed that everyone and everything had a weakness, no matter how deceptively fast or powerful they may be. She had assumed that this man would be sluggish and slow because of his size and strength. She found that out too late when the chief lost his back.  
  
The worse thing was that, in the last few moments in her short life, she would never find out why someone would go so far as to kill her. Granted, people in this profession have tried before, but none of them had this sort of efficiency. It sickened her too, but she might as well forget about it. Unless it had something to do with her father, she would never understand why someone would kill her.  
  
Tick.  
  
She saw the muzzle flash, igniting the powder within the bullet, causing the sharp point of the ammunition to drive forward, moving faster than the naked eye. She would be dead in half a second now.  
  
Tick.  
  
What she never anticipated was the hand holding the gun to be violently pushed to the side, and with such unrelenting force at that. The opposing force caused the weapon to be shoved towards the side. She knew she was lucky, but for only the barest of moments. The bullet still hadn't left the chamber.  
  
Tick.  
  
Videl knew that there was no time to move, seeing that everything was still moving at such slow speeds, including herself. The only thing she could do was keep track of the gun. While it was moved, it still wasn't enough to keep the fast moving bullet from escaping. It flew out, and in a millisecond, grazed across her left cheek. It left a thin wound several centimeters long.  
  
And it still moved.  
  
Tick.  
  
The bullet continued on its altered course, coming into contact with her upper left earlobe. It easily went past the folded outer edge before moving through her hair, tearing apart many of the thickly set strands in her braid. The small metal flew off harmlessly after that, finding itself imbedded in a patch of dirt nearly thirty yards away.  
  
Tick.  
  
Her first reaction was to grab her damaged ear, feeling the pain receptors taking control of her normal functions. She had to slow whatever bleeding had occurred from the bullet, though it would take a few more seconds to know when it would start bleeding and how much blood would come out of it. The effect of this caused her to fall backwards to the ground, landing on her right forearm for support. Her left hand had taken the duty of checking the wound.  
  
Her eyes never left the gun though. She watched as it continued to be pushed away, until the opposing force moving the hand suddenly ceased, causing the gun to violently fly out of the mob leader's hand.  
  
It was then that she noticed the gloved hand holding the arm in place. It wasn't a large hand, or rather, it was, but compared to the size of the leader's forearm, it was mediocre in size. It took Videl a few moments to get things working in her head again.  
  
_How can such a small hand hold something so huge?_ That statement was her first thought. Her second thought told her to look at the person that owned that hand. And so she did, following the hand up the arm, noticing the skintight black suit adorned to it. She could easily see the tightly woven muscle contracting and relaxing through the layer of cloth.  
  
She followed that up to the main body of the person, seeing that covered in a green tunic of sorts. Videl couldn't tell how developed this guy was – she had assumed by now that it was a male – but with what she judged by the arm, this guy had to be decently built.  
  
Videl moved up towards the face, and it made her shudder. The pain in her ear became nothing when she saw the calm, yet seething rage this individual was showing. His face was set in a small, stern frown, and his brow was creased down towards the middle, showing off his fury.  
  
The eyes scared her shitless. They were pupil less, though with an eerie blue-green color to them. She didn't know how, but the eyes contained nearly all of the anger and rage that his body was focusing on.  
  
Tick.  
  
The leader looked over to the man holding his arm, turning his malicious grin into uncontrollable anger in the process. He was actually surprised that someone had come along and saved the girl, but it didn't matter. The new guy was an insect compared to him.  
  
Stupid fuck face! Who' do you think you're fucking with? he spat in his face. He tried pulling out of the golden haired man's grasp, wanting to duke it out with the intruder.  
  
He was shocked to find out that his arm wouldn't budge at all.  
  
What the hell? Let go of me you freak! His anger was slowly being replaced by panic, something that he was never worried of before. It was in his line of work that panicking was never good, and beating the snot out of people with intimidation was the best cause of action. It was how he murdered people: by pummeling them into submission before ending their miserable existence. That's what he did in the previous city he was in.  
  
It wasn't going to happen here.  
  
A few seconds had passed before the pair of lackeys protecting him realized that something had to be done. They were stiff when the new guy showed up, and it took the panicked cries of their leader to know that they had to help him. The first one cocked his small automatic rifle and took aim.  
  
Gohan noticed him though. He saw the glare from the sun on the weapon as it was being pointed towards him, and he turned to acknowledge the offending individual. He stared him dead in the eyes, almost daring him to open fire.  
  
For a moment, the gunman wished he hadn't stared so plainly into his eyes. He also shouldn't have emptied the clip so recklessly into him. He heard no ricochet from any objects in the distance, so he knew that all of the bullets hit their mark.  
  
He expected a bloodied mess. What he didn't expect was the dead glare from the man still pointed in his direction.  
  
His buddy stepped up, opening his own volley of lead upon Gohan. They all hit their mark, but again, he stood standing. It was during the barrage that the first gunmen saw what he wished he never saw: the golden haired man's eyes lighting up with each muzzle flash, showing all the madness that it held within its depths.  
  
He took a wary step back, and then another one, wanting to get away from this monstrosity. His buddy didn't know why he was moving away, or the reason for the horrified look on his face. He turned towards his opponent just in time to see him raise his free hand up.  
  
Gohan pointed his palm in their direction, and with a hoarse yell, blasted out an invisible wave of energy, sending the gunmen through the air. They landed in an unconscious heap of limbs yards away, ready to be taking into police custody.  
  
Behind him, he felt another pair of gunmen – the last remaining conscious gunmen – coming through the lobby towards the front. He pivoted on his right foot, landing his left towards the bank and nearly parallel to the leader. His hand came around, facing the bank doors, and he released a low level blast towards them. It exploded in midair just as the gang members reached the doors, blowing them back with the destroyed doors, knocking them out as well.  
  
Slowly, Gohan turned back around, turning his full attention to the gang leader. His expression still held the anger from earlier, but a new calm set on his face.  
  
It was control.  
  
He liked it. It reminded him of that all too brief instance where he held fate in his hands back against Cell. This time though, he knew better. He was aware of everyone around him. He knew where all of the cops were at, still hiding behind their vehicles, waiting for everything to calm down. He made sure that all of the gunmen were unconscious, so that none of them would come around and injure anyone.  
  
He looked down at the chief though, and all of his anger returned.  
  
he muttered to the leader.  
  
The large man shuddered at the coldness of his voice. It chilled him deeply, as if he felt death waiting for him just a few steps away. His defiant attitude had given way to intense panic and worry. He didn't know how he defeated his gang, but he did so with little effort, and that gloved hand still latched to his arm didn't give way once.  
  
In fact, he felt it slowly constricting around his massive forearm.  
  
Stop it! Stop it! he shouted. He felt a pop in his arm, realizing something was giving way.  
  
It's only a few tendons being ripped from your elbow, Gohan said, his voice keeping the deathly nature that it held.  
  
Another sound was heard, though this time something was tearing. The leader whimpered in pain. He reached out to the gloved hand, desperately trying to peel it off his arm.  
  
Muscle strands another he trailed off, squeezing down slightly, as he had been doing. And another  
  
  
  
Don't you think that cop had a chance to yell at you to stop when you crushed his spine? Gohan snapped. He squeezed again, feeling the bones in the arm bend under the pressure. I'm surprised someone as you can be such a sissy from a little pain like this.  
  
The leader's world froze around him. It was almost the exact same words he muttered when he felled the chief. _How long has this guy been here if he heard me say those words?_ That was the only rational thought he could think of. Everything else was focused on trying to make sure that he didn't wet himself.  
  
He would never get that chance. The world resumed as quickly as it froze when he felt his bones give way. The pain flew up his arm to his brain, and he couldn't keep his cries to a mere whimper anymore. He yelled out, reaching out with his free hand in a vain attempt to cover his broken limb.  
  
He couldn't when he felt the same-gloved hand holding him in place.  
  
That was your ulna and radius giving way, Gohan spoke angrily. I doubt your fickle little brain would understand what that means though. All you're concerned about right now is trying to get out of this hold, and running for your pathetic life.  
  
The leader ignored the immense pain temporarily, staring straight into Gohan's eyes. What do you want? he let out, his voice shaky from the yelling he did.  
  
For the first time that day, Gohan smirked. Everyone that saw it – including Videl – shuddered at the evilness of the expression. He never answered the poor fool's question, for he smelt the lingering stench of urine coming from in front of him.  
  
You disgust me.  
  
It was those words somehow that turned something in the gang member's head. Much like Videl earlier, he needed to exact a crushing revenge upon the smaller blonde man before him. He had to get away from him as well, and he figured the quickest way to do it was to knock him out. He let out a powerful battle cry, raising a fist into the air and swinging it down onto Gohan's head.  
  
He expected the sound of a face crushing beneath his massive fist. He expected the crumbling of the shorter man to the ground, possibly knocked unconscious or maybe even dead. That would have been better. He would have been able to get away from him. He didn't mind the cops though: he would have rather faced them than this monstrosity before him. Besides, he's killed people before with a single skull cracking punch in the past.  
  
He expected much the same.  
  
It took him full two seconds to realize that half of his arm had turned into an accordion.  
  
The large man recoiled sharply, holding the ruined appendage as best he could to his chest. He cried out loudly in pain and horror, looking down at his arm before looking into Gohan's eyes. He suddenly wished to have never taken that job from that faceless handler. All he wanted was to be home right now, or back in his old stomping grounds, doing what he did best. He wanted to be pounding on the little simpletons that annoyed him so much back then, and he wanted to go and enjoy a cocktail after another successful gang agenda.  
  
And for a moment, he thought about his mother, wishing to see her one last time and ask her for his forgiveness for the illegal life that he lived.  
  
Gohan let go of his arm a few moments later, letting the leader bring his other wounded arm to his chest. He sneered down in disgust at the scumbag, wanting to end his life. He nearly did too.  
  
end my life now, the mobster whimpered out, falling to his knees. I don't deserve to live  
  
For a moment, Gohan considered his request. He extended his arm out, preparing a blast that would evaporate him on the spot. He looked away for a brief moment though, seeing the chief down on the ground. Looking the other way, he saw Videl sitting there, staring on at the scene in bewilderment.  
  
_No I don't have the right._  
  
He dropped his hand.  
  
Look at me, Gohan snapped harshly at the sobering fool. Slowly, the mobster looked up into his eyes, wondering what emotion he was getting from him. I will not kill you, or anyone else. He stepped up to him and leaned down, getting inches away from his face.  
  
You will live the rest of your life with the shame of who you are, and what you did today.  
  
Before the leader got a chance to respond, Gohan reached around, pinching a group of nerves along the base of his neck, instantly knocking him unconscious. He slumped to the ground, knowing that the next time he woke up, it would be in police custody, and without most of the pain he received today.  
  
Gohan turned to Videl, seeing a notable change in the way she was watching. Her awe turned into confusion and slight shock. He walked up to her slowly and crouched down, sitting on the balls of his feet. He laid a cautious hand on her arm, bringing her back to some sort of normalcy.  
  
Videl, it's over, he whispered to her.  
  
_That voice_  
  
She had no clue as to how she would respond. At one moment, she saw one of the most ruthless people going through a small gang like they were nothing. Now, Videl saw a man with great concern in his eyes. She registered the hand on her arm, wondering if he was going to crush it or just make sure she was okay.  
  
Don't hurt me, she whispered out, her eyes coming to a spot on the ground by his feet.  
  
I won't. With his free hand, he gently touched her chin, raising it up so he could see her whole face. She avoided bringing her eyes to his though. She was still unsure of what he wanted.  
  
look at me, Gohan pushed softly.  
  
_I know that voice_  
  
Slowly, she turned her eyes to look at the golden haired man. He had a small, appreciating smile on his face, something that she didn't understand.  
  
_I must show her_. It was the single thought that was going through his head. Gohan didn't realize at first what it meant, but after staring into her eyes for a few moments, he knew what it wanted. He knew that Videl had to understand.  
  
Maybe then, things might get better.  
  
Gohan took a deep breath, and in an instant, his golden locks faded away, revealing his jet-black hair.  
  
_Soft, black eyes_  
  
It took a moment for Videl to realize what had just happened. She was thinking that it was an illusion, and that he was still blonde. She had a sudden urge to reach out and touch it, just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Gohan just sat there, knowing that he had to let her do this.  
  
It's real, she muttered, pulling a strand out from the side of his head. She looked back over, wanting to make sure who it was, when she looked straight into his eyes.  
  
_It's him_  
  
she quietly asked. Before either of them could say anything else, there was a small commotion over where the cops were. One of them had pulled out a bullhorn, yelling into it loudly and causing a harsh feedback.  
  
Videl! Are you all right? he yelled into it.  
  
She looked back over to Gohan, her eyes asking him for some sort of direction. He looked over to the cops before turning back to her, standing up and moving a step back from her. He transformed once again into a Super Saiyan, concealing his identity once more.  
  
Tell them that you're okay, he said, lifting a few feet into the air. I must go now. Without another word, or a response from Videl, he lifted straight up into the air, disappearing into the clouds above the city.  
  
It took a moment for Videl to get reoriented after Gohan's sudden departure. Remembering what she said, she turned over her shoulder, yelling out: I'm fine! Now get me an ambulance! They responded quickly, running around and sending commands out for other emergency services.  
  
She turned her gaze back up to the sky, looking at the last spot that she saw Gohan at. She had no clue why he did what he did, but she would find out. She was Videl Satan after all.  
  
She would get her answers, whether or not the target of her inquiries would respond to them. The day was long from being over.  
  
Tick.  
  
Tick.  
  
Tick.  
  
_Gohan  
  
_  
  


* * *  
  
  
  
End Part Nine  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  



	11. 1:10 Fallout

Disclaimer: see part one.  
  
Note: I will be skipping next week's posting. I got slammed with forty hours of work, and writing time has been severely limited. Also, the launch of my new story, Amour Foncé, is going to be delayed a week as well.  
  
GD: I'll try and get a review in for you by the end of the week.  
  
Pre-read was done by PsYChO, who was surprised to all heck when he saw that I only had two noticeable mistakes. Of course, he still ripped on me, even for that.  
  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
Parallel and Perpendicular  
  
  
A romance/fiction by ShaggyDiz  
  
  
Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me  
  
Part Ten: Fallout  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
Begin Part Ten  
  
  
* * *  
  
  


Seven minutes.  
  
That was how long it was between Gohan entering the bathroom and leaving it. Although it was somewhat long for a particular , he could have easily convinced (with no words, for his benefit) his peers that he had a problem with his bladder. It would be safe to use this escape to fight crime for now until the teachers had enough of his frequent bathroom visits and either inform him that he needs to use it at his house, or see a specialist.  
  
Twice a week was more than enough for this particular problem.  
  
Getting back to school and into it was easy: the window to the bathroom was still open, and there had been no one in there upon his return. He switched out of his costume (and reminded himself to talk with Bulma later about replacing the lost articles of disguise) back into his civilian clothes, making his way out of the bathroom and back to his class. Given the half-minute walk to and from it, his total time away from class had been eight minutes.  
  
Mr. Son so glad of you to return, Mr. Lou said to him upon his return. His voice held no seriousness to it though. I was afraid you got lost for a minute. The class broke out into small laughter at the comment, leaving a somewhat flustered Gohan at the bottom of the class.  
  
I'm still getting used to this school, sir, he lied.  
  
Not a problem. Now, take your seat, and make sure you get notes from a classmate that you missed from your little expedition. Again, there was a fit of laughter from the students.  
  
_It makes me wonder why does Videl hate him so much? Everyone else seems to like him  
_  
He took his seat, quickly asking Erasa if he could take her notes later on in the day. All the while, his thoughts kept on going back to the bank robbery. He had wished to maybe do a little more there, but time prevented him from doing so. And seeing the chief like that it hurt that he could do nothing about it.  
  
Gohan settled on the worst part of the incident though: his revealing of his true identity to Videl.  
  
_I won't run  
_  
Eventually, he would have to answer her questions. He knew they would come as soon as he showed her.  
  
_Damn  
_  
The only question was: when would that eventuality come?  
  
_I really, really fucked up  
_  
  


* * *  
  
  


Chaos.  
  
That was what was occurring at the bank at the current moment. As soon as Gohan disappeared, everything went into fast forward. Nearly all of the officers at the scene quickly rushed in, taking control of the parking lot before running into the bank. Those who remained had made several frantic calls to several hospitals, telling them to send as many ambulances as possible. More police officers had arrived on the scene as well, supporting the current batch there.  
  
Within two minutes, the lot had been filled with a S.W.A.T. team, EMT units, three full precincts, and ex-hostages.  
  
The most attention went to the most critically wounded, which turned out to be the mob leader and the chief. The leader, for most obvious reasons, would have to be handcuffed to whatever bed unit that could support his massive size. The doctors and cops around him were shocked to find how serious the damage on his arms was: neither of them could be properly cuffed.  
  
The chief was a different story. Videl had informed them of what had happened, and the doctors had a difficult time working around the chief's broken body to lift him on the stretcher. They eventually got a flat sled beneath him and lifted him up like that onto the stretcher.  
  
Videl had opted to stay with him, ignoring several orders to get her ear looked at. She took a towel from one of the doctors and used that to slow down the bleeding, though by the time she reached the ambulance, it was down to nearly nothing. Her free hand found its way into the chief's, silently praying that he would get better.  
  
She knew it would never be the case though.  
  
It was the chief that brought Videl into the police force several years back while he himself was still a lieutenant in the department. He found out that she was rejected by several of the city's precincts, and he took it upon himself to train her and turn her someday into a full-fledged police officer.  
  
Videl was brought into the police force two months before her sixteenth birthday, and a year later, with their dynamic combination, brought crime down in several districts by nearly fifty percent. On her seventeenth birthday, Lieutenant Mustard of the Thirteenth Precinct of the Satan City Police had become the chief of all of the police within city limits.  
  
She smiled at that memory, now nearly eleven months old. She stood by his side that day at the press conference; never answering a single question directed her way. It was his day, she remembered. It was all about what he did, and the other fortunate circumstances that allowed him to step up as chief.  
  
A scandal had rocked the police department several weeks before, and the chief of police then received most of the blame. He was reluctant to step down though, since his position kept him well within the power structure of the city. With the enormous popularity of the duo from the thirteenth precinct though, and the continuing pressures of the scandal, he was forced to step down just one day before Mustard received the promotion.  
  
It wasn't a rush promotion either. Everyone in the precinct knew that it was coming, though it was only a matter of when it would happen. The scandal that occurred was the perfect jumping on point for them, and they used that with great success.  
  
In six months, Mustard reformed nearly half of the precincts within the city. He instituted a new training regiment that helped reduce crime within his precinct by another twenty-five percent, and several other precincts by as much as twenty percent. He wasn't a desk-sitting chief though, and it was the one thing he had hoped to completely remove from his position. He continued to go out on the streets and fight crime alongside Videl, stopping crime after crime again and again.  
  
Three months ago though, everything slowly started to change. Several transfers from the outer lying districts to his department turned out to be rather clichéd individuals: donuts, coffee, and hardly ever getting up to take care of anything. With other transfers like that occurring in and around the city, crime slowly began climbing up again. Several new gangs formed in the time, though none with the severity of the Blue Bloodhound gang.  
  
It took them one day to destroy what couldn't be done from within for several months.  
  
_Hang in there please  
_  
  


* * *  
  
  


what's the prognosis? Videl asked, her voice cracking beneath her well-built shell. The ride to the hospital took only six minutes, and within three, the medics had taken the chief into the emergency room, quickly getting to work on his broken body. She was forced to remain outside of the operating area, sitting on a bench right outside of the restricted doors.  
  
During the wait, she continually refused any medical treatment to her ear. She was set on waiting for word on the chief, never leaving the bench once. Her bleeding had long since ended, and the platelets in her bloodstream had begun its repairing process. Videl would eventually get it cleaned up and properly stitched, and the white t-shirt that she wore would have to be trashed, as blood from the wound covered a large portion of her shoulder. She would need a haircut too, as she noticed while sitting outside of the operating area that the bullet shredded a large chunk of her banded pigtail.  
  
She would, of course, worry about all of that later on.  
  
It was twelve past ten – two full hours after the attempted robbery – when the doctor came out. His hands were clean; contrasting the blood splotched white uniform he wore. He gave her a solemn look that spoke volumes to the situation.  
  
We put him right to surgery, Ms. Satan. He had severe damage to his rib cage, where we had to screw five of them back together, and he also suffered a pierced lung. He paused a moment, looking away from the teen's eyes and back towards the restricted doors.  
  
What about his back? Videl asked, killing the uncomfortable silence. She looked at his face for an answer, waiting in morbid anticipation for whatever was coming.  
  
Slowly, the doctor turned his head back, unfortunately coming to the girl's eyes again. He suffered damage to the seventh through tenth vertebrate. While those two and the ninth were reparable, the eighth vertebrate was reduced to shards. They're still fixing it now.  
  
His spinal cord though it was snapped in three different locations beneath his backbone. I'm sorry Videl, he paused, collecting his breath for the unfortunate kill shot. He will never be able to use his legs again.  
  
There were very few things that could push Videl over the edge. Most of those things resulted in pulse pounding anger, which would result in several broken bones for the offending suspect. Sometimes, her dad would push her too far, and she would end up yelling at him for hours on end. She would never hit him though. She was still wary of his supposed super strength, and dared not to try her luck with that.  
  
Only once has crying been justified. Every other time – the few that they were – had been for meaningless scrapes and bruises, and by nine, she had toughed up enough that they hadn't bothered her again. It was when she turned ten did everything go to hell.  
  
That was the last time she had cried.  
  
When can I see him? she said, her voice shaking slightly. Her head had long since turned down, as her eyes were fixated on her lap.  
  
They should be done in about sixty to ninety minutes. I'm going to head back in and make sure the other doctor on hand has everything running smoothly. He should be in post op sometime after that.  
  
She nodded. Can you get me then?  
  
I will. In the mean time, you really should stop rejecting help for that ear of yours. It can get infected if you leave it like that.  
  
I know. Videl stood up, keeping her eyes on the floor. I need to use the bathroom first. I'll find a nurse then.  
  
Whatever you want, the doctor said, and with that, he went back into the operating area.  
  
Slowly, Videl made her way down the hall, avoiding eye contact with everyone that she passed. She was somewhat glad that the closest bathroom wasn't too far away, though she had to pass the main desk along the way. She told them without looking what she was planning on doing, and had nearly shouted at them when they pressed again.  
  
She needed to get to a bathroom.  
  
Any bathroom. Anything room at all; she just needed to get away.  
  
She found her bathroom. It's empty, she muttered. Slowly, as if under some sort of mental control, she went to a stall and locked herself in.  
  
As she sat down, she shook. It wasn't noticeable at first, but as she slowly started to mumble inconsistent thoughts, her shaking became more violent.  
  
She suddenly gave a startled yelp, and for the first time in seven years, Videl's tears consumed her.  
  
She sat there for nearly fifteen minutes, letting seven years of pain and anguish that she built up within herself pour out. And even after that fifteen minutes, her body still shook, even as her tears went dry.  
  
_Why?  
  
Why did this happen?  
_  
Videl looked at herself in the mirror, thankful that she never needed any sort of makeup for her face. Her eyes were puffy though, and she looked as if she hadn't slept for days with the developing light brown spots beneath her bottom eyelid. She didn't care though.  
  
I needed that, she said lightly. Maybe I can  
  
Her voice trailed off. There was no need to finish that line of thought.  
  
She hardened up once again, needing someone or something to blame for today. She didn't know why she had to though. I should have killed that fucker  
  
_Gohan  
_  
he let him live.  
  
How could he?  
  
Why would he?  
  
_He doesn't deserve to die he gets to live the rest of his life behind bars knowing what he did  
_  
He deserved to die.  
  
He nearly killed me he nearly killed the chief  
  
He deserved to die!  
  
Drip.  
  
Drip.  
  
She looked down, seeing the blood from her shredded hand slowly drop into the sink. It made hollow dripping sounds as it hit the bottom of the porcelain appliance.  
  
Videl cursed loudly, pulling her hand from the broken remains of the flat mirror. By then, a nurse had come into the bathroom, pulling back in shock when she saw the mess that was around the teen.  
  
Are you all right? she asked, fear filling her voice.  
  
I'm not. She put her arm to her side, ignoring the pain of the shards stuck in her fist. I'm far from it. I nearly got killed today, and one of the few people that I look up to in my life can never walk again.  
  
The nurse wisely said nothing to answer that. She shivered at how cold the girl's voice had become. She was glad for now that she didn't have to see the look on Videl's face.  
  
when-whenever you're re-ready, Videl we'll fix you up.  
  
_I'm far from being fixed up.  
  
I need to have a little talk with Gohan as soon as I leave here.  
_  
Slowly, she followed the nurse out, not caring that her hand was still dripping blood, not caring that the nurses were going ballistic over that – and her ear slightly reopening because of her recent exertion – and definitely not caring why she placed all of the blame on Gohan.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
End Part Ten  
  
  
* * *  
  
  



	12. 1:11 Demon Hunting

Disclaimer: see part one.  
  
Note: my apologies for the delay. This week was a very enlightening week: involved much partying, beer drinking, women ogling, and, as per usual, work. Oh, and with today being Thanksgiving (for us Americans that is), I decided to hold this off even more until after everything was done. Speaking of which, Happy Thanksgiving to all you Americans reading this, Happy Belated Thanksgiving to all you Canadians reading this, and to everyone else who isn't enjoying this holiday season, you can sit back and understand why half of us in this country is so frigging obese.  
  
Note again: Part Twelve will be the final part for this chapter. Yes, that should come out on time next Wednesday at midnight. I won't be this lax for a while.  
  
Pre-reads were completed by PsYChO, though there is a chance that we both skipped over some. I'll get them in the eventual DCE.  
  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
Parallel and Perpendicular  
  
  
A romance/fiction story by ShaggyDiz  
  
  
Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me  
  
Part Eleven: Demon Hunting  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
Begin Part Eleven  
  
  
* * *  
  
  


Well, the damage to your ear wasn't as bad as it seemed, though a decent chunk of it did get blown off. This was what the doctor told her as he was putting the finishing touches to Videl's ear. He had taken the shredded parts and smoothed them out as best as possible before stitching them together. All in all, she had only lost twenty percent of her ear, and both were confused as to why her eardrum didn't explode at the close sounding eruption of the gun.  
  
I'm going to cover this with some gauze patches for now, to prevent even further infection. This needs to be replaced once a day, after you shower. The stitching will hold under water, so don't worry about that.  
  
Anything else? Videl asked him evenly. She was starting to not like sitting in the hospital for so long.  
  
Come back next week. I'll have supplies then to reconstruct the damaged portion. He studied her face for a second, checking for any other sort of damage. I'm going to have to ask you to also get a haircut.  
  
The look she gave him could have killed even the strongest of men.  
  
Why do I have to explain everything? he muttered to himself, slapping his hand to his face. It had been a long day for him (getting up at four in the morning for three different same day surgeries can do that to a person), and while he didn't personally see to any part of the police chief's surgery, he was greatly affected personally, much like everyone else in and around the hospital. All he wanted was to go home, and he would be soon enough, seeing that it was now almost twelve o'clock (fixing Videl's hand took somewhat longer than expected).  
  
Videl, listen to me. If you want your ear to heal properly, it has to be clear of anything that could possibly infect it, including your hair.  
  
She still looked at him with a murderous glare.  
  
You'll also notice that you're missing hair from the bullet that passed through it.  
  
For a moment, Videl kept her glare going. She softened though, looking down on the floor while reaching her good hand to her ear and hair. She whispered something, though it was so low that it hardly reached her ears.  
  
What was that? the doctor asked, seeing her lips moving with the barest of sounds coming from it.  
  
Why couldn't he just kill him?  
  
What? Kill who Videl?  
  
She looked up, realizing he had heard her. I don't know. The person that saved me I know him he didn't kill that gang leader. She pushed herself off the bed onto her feet, wincing slightly from the pain in her bandaged hand. He said something about him not deserving to die.  
  
person, whoever he may be, is actually right. She looked at the doctor, wondering if he grown a third and fourth head. I don't want to sound preachy, but you have to realize that, no matter the cause, no one has the right to take another's life. Everyone has the right to life, even if it is for hundreds of years behind bars.  
  
No one deserves what the chief got though. I would have kill the bastard myself if if -   
  
If what? he asked, cutting her off.  
  
If I were only strong enough She trailed off, though she knew that she had said what she said. It was something that she really didn't want to admit.  
  
I see. He opened the door, letting Videl step out first. She didn't bother looking up as she walked down the hall, content in letting the doctor lead the way. It was the first time that ever admitted something like that, to herself or anyone else. She hated the way it sounded coming out of her lips, and she hated the way she felt right now.  
  
Videl got led to a seat by the main desk, waiting there while the doctor went behind it. He came around a few minutes later, carrying with him a clipboard. Standard release forms Videl. I just need you to sign on the dotted lines.  
  
Anything I'm not allowed to do? she asked as she signed the sheets. She was having some difficulty with using her injured hand to write on it.  
  
You're right hand is useless for the next few days, so don't do anything to aggravate that. You damaged a few minor nerves with that stunt, and I want those to heal without further use. He grabbed the pen out of her hand, sticking it in her left. You can write with your left hand, can you?  
  
She started filling out the rest of the sheets using her left hand, surprisingly writing just as good with it as her other one.  
  
He stood up as she finished with the documents. I'll give you some pain killers for the hand, just in case there is any lingering effect from the damage.  
  
Then I'm good to go?  
  
For the most part. The only thing I would ask you to do – though I doubt you would listen to me – is to not fight crime at all. He raised a hand up, ending any protest she was about to start with. Not for the next few days at least. I'm serious about that hand. If you don't let it heal properly, you probably won't be able to make a proper fist with it ever again.  
  
I can use my feet quite well though, she countered.  
  
You can, but I don't want you to go out there and accidentally have to use that hand of yours. Doctor's orders, all right?  
  
  
  
He nodded. I know what you're thinking right now, the doctor spoke; dropping his voice enough so only Videl can hear it. just don't do any irrational.  
  
So what do you want me to do with a police department nearly full of lazy morons? I'm sure they won't do anything to help alleviate this situation.  
  
How about this one person you mentioned earlier? he asked.  
  
I don't trust him. Period.  
  
The doctor slapped his face again. I'm definitely going to need a psychologist at the end of this. To Videl, he said, Look, this is going to sound really clichéd, but you know that now is just as good a time as any to trust someone that could help you out a lot. I'm sure you'll be speaking to him again, correct?  
  
she said, though the doctor didn't pick up on the intended reasons hidden deep within her voice.  
  
Good. Talk to him about doing more rounds during the next few days. That way, if he can stop crime just as much as you can, you'll be able to trust him more easily, and quite possibly have a partner for this thing.  
  
I don't think I want that. She moved over to the desk, getting a nurses attention. Turning her head to the doctor, she gave him one final statement: The chief was my only partner. Now I'm going to work alone.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Videl sat by the bed for nearly fifteen minutes now, blinking only when she needed to, breathing only when she was required to.  
  
The sight before her nearly made her cry again. The chief had been removed from surgery nearly thirty minutes ago and placed in an isolated recovery room. Two nurses were in the room with him currently, and they had reluctantly allowed Videl to sit by his bedside. They had informed her that he wouldn't be waking up for a while, and that he would be needing at least one more surgery within the next twenty-four hours, but she didn't care.  
  
She just had to see him, even if she couldn't say anything.  
  
Eventually, she had just lost track of time completely, not really caring anymore about what she should be doing. She made a slightly glance up to the clock, noticing that it had turned one o'clock three minutes prior. Videl turned her gaze back to the chief, her face hardening in memory.  
  
I have to go chief, she said, standing up over him. She looked at the nurses in the room, seeing that they were occupied with other things. Leaning in close, she started whispering into his ear.  
  
it was my friend that saved us today. I know I should be thanking him, but I can't. He's been he's  
  
I don't trust him. I don't think I'll ever trust him. I have some things I need to understand, and that's why I'm going to be leaving now. You better be awake the next time I come here I need your guidance more than ever. I need it more than my maid, or even my father they can't give me anything anymore. Briskly, Videl stood up, exiting the room without another sound. She didn't tell the nurses anything, nor did she want to.  
  
She would know when to come back.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


The last five hours for Gohan had been exceedingly slow going. He had expected Videl back at a certain point of time, but so far, all he could do was sweat more bullets. He could end up getting away for a day though, seeing that school was over in less than ninety minutes.  
  
_I shouldn't think that though.  
_  
Lunch had been the worst for him. He couldn't get away from Erasa in time, and he ended up sitting with her and Sharpener for lunch. On three different occasions during that period did she bring up the whereabouts of Videl, and on those three occasions, Gohan nearly said everything. There was that nagging thought hanging in the back of head though, telling him not to say it.  
  
_I still have to explain to Videl first.  
_  
He had no clue how she was going to react when they finally talked. In less than two days, he had witnessed a variety of emotions coming from the girl, though most were tilted towards anger. He didn't mind though; it gave the girl her own, unique personality when dealing with certain individuals.  
  
_I guess I'm lucky now she hasn't directed any of her angry towards me yet.  
_  
Gohan continued on that line of thought, wondering how he would explain things to her. He would continue to hope beyond hope that their confrontation would be avoided today. So lost in his thoughts though, that he never noticed the time passing by him.  
  
He never noticed the spike of anger at one fifty seven – exactly two minutes before last period began – until it was too late.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Shit! It's almost two o'clock! Videl yelled, finally getting her copter in the air. Though it was closer to one forty five, she still had to get back to school before the classes changed. It would be near impossible to find Gohan in the halls once classes started changing, and she doubted that he would stay behind to talk to her.  
  
He'll end up chickening out if I don't see him.  
  
_Why did he show me though?  
_  
It was that one lingering thought which stuck out the most in her mind. There was no reason for him to show me what he was. There was no reason for him to be there either.  
  
Of course, she knew she was lying to herself.  
  
I'm just glad Faye was out of the house when I got there. Videl breathed a sigh of relief there, remembering how sneaky she had to be when getting inside and out of the house. She had snuck in through her balcony window, making sure to keep her steps quiet as she crossed the bedroom towards the door. Satisfied that there were no sounds coming from the downstairs area, Videl then made her way to the bathroom, getting to work on fixing herself.  
  
In years before, she had given herself several haircuts (and some to Kagero as well), with all of them turning out just fine. Of course, all of them started with a full set of hair. She had to deal with a hole blasted right through the formally thick banding. Grabbing a pair of scissors, Videl set to work, cropping that side up above her ear and managing it in short, uneven spikes before setting to the other side.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, she had finished, and she had to grin at her work.  
  
Shortest I'd ever gotten it, she said as she finished that particular bit of memory while continuing her flight. She ran her good hand through her shorter, rougher locks, liking what she had done.  
  
By the time she had finished that though, it was one thirty two, and she had still yet to clean up the blood around her ear. She scrubbed around her ear as best she could without touching her ear before completely discarding her ruined clothing. That all together took less than ten minutes, and within the next two minutes, she was up in the air.  
  
It took her seven minutes to cover the distance between her house and the school. Videl opted to land on the roof – she knew it was sturdy enough to hold it for several hours at least – and quickly exited the copter, vaulting towards the stairs without returning her copter into its capsule. She literally flew down four flights of stairs, coming to a near crashing halt on the second floor. Swiftly, she made her way down the hall, glancing up at a clock hung up high on the wall.  
  
One fifty six I guess I could walk the rest of the way.  
  
That would be advisable, Ms. Satan. It was a voice she didn't want to hear.  
  
And the clock just turned one fifty seven.  
  
I don't have time for this Mr. Lou, Videl spoke through her teeth. She continued walking down the hall, ignoring the footsteps following her.  
  
You never returned to class after you left. What did you --  
  
Can it! she shouted, turning and jabbing a finger into his chest. You have no idea what I went through today. My life was thrown through the trash today, and the last thing I need right now is to listen to your sniveling bullshit! With that, Videl turned around, this time completely ignoring any jabs coming her way, though for once, Mr. Lou kept silent. It wasn't the comment she had made, but rather the current state of health that she was in, both physically and mentally.  
  
She reached the door just before it clicked on one fifty eight, and swung it open.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Shock and awe. Those were the immediate reactions from the student body as soon as they saw Videl enter the room. Mostly everyone immediately saw that her hair was much shorter than before, and that she carried two bandaged wounds with her.  
  
No one noticed where she directed her gaze.  
  
Videl! Are you all right? Mrs. Honeydew cried out as soon as she calmed herself from the outburst.  
  
Just peachy, she muttered, loud enough for only the teacher to hear. I came because I had business to take care of.  
  
The bell rang then, ending the teacher's train of thought on Videl's state and resuming what she had for the students. She quickly gave an assignment out to the exiting students before making leave of the room herself. Videl, I'll talk to you later, okay? she said as she got out of the door.  
  
Videl acknowledged it slightly, never taking her eyes off of the approaching individual. she addressed him as he pulled to a stop in front of her. She was a bit unnerved at how uncannily calm his body was, though a quick glance to his eyes showed her otherwise.  
  
he asked after a bit of hesitation. He really didn't know how to respond there without inciting some sort of angered reaction.  
  
She frowned. After school, meet me at the main stairwell. We're going to the roof.  
  
he nodded. Before he got the chance to leave though, Videl leaned in close.  
  
If you don't show up, I will tell everyone, she whispered.  
  
Don't worry. I'll be there. She looked in Gohan's eyes, looking for any hint of betrayal. She nodded eventually, satisfied. Videl stepped back and turned away, exiting the room without a second glance.  
  
Gohan muttered, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. As he was leaving, he was beginning to wonder why Videl's voice, when she was setting up the bribe, almost sounded desperate.  
  
_She really wants to know fine then I'm going to need something in return.  
_  
Of course, he didn't know what he wanted in return. He would remember it all clearly before the final hour of school was up. Gym class had its fair share of spiteful teachers as well.  
  
Soon enough though, the final bell rang. Videl was quick to the main floor stairwell (gym class was on the first floor), and waited for a good five minutes before Gohan came along, carrying his bag over his shoulder and a neutral expression on his face. They stood facing each other for a few moments before Videl turned on her heal, beginning the long climb up the stairs to the roof. By now, they were one of the few students still left in the hallways.  
  
The climb was uncomfortably quiet for both of them. Gohan didn't want to risk Videl snapping, and Videl didn't want to snap herself, at least while in the stairwell. The only thing heard between them was the slapping of their shoes on each ascending step.  
  
They came upon the door to the roof, to which Videl opened and stepped out onto.  
  
_Time to face the music,_ they both thought at the same time.  
  
_Heh.  
_  
  


* * *  
  
  
End Part Eleven  
  
  
* * *  
  



	13. 1:12 The Immeasurable Demarcation Betwee...

Disclaimer: see part one.  
  
Notes: well, welcome to the end of Chapter One. That's about it for up top. Everything else will be at the end. Enjoy.  
  
Pre-read was completed by sage. I don't really have anything to say about her (unlike PsYChO), and I really never have anything bad to say about her either.  
  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
Parallel and Perpendicular  
  
  
A romance/fiction story by ShaggyDiz  
  
  
Chapter One: You May Think You Hate Me  
  
Part Twelve: The Immeasurable Demarcation Between Adoration and Detestation  
  
  
* * *  


  
  


Begin Part Twelve  
  
  
* * *  


  
  
Gohan stood silently by the edge of the roof, keeping a sort of silent vigil over the city. He had been standing there for nearly five minutes now, not completely ignoring Videl (who had yet to speak), but also not paying much attention to her body language (which was beginning to show much irritation). It had given him some time to think over certain things, like what he should admit to Videl and what he should keep as a secret for now.  
  
He stole a quick glance at her – the first time he decided to look at her since arriving on the roof – noting her crossed armed stance and tapping foot. He knew that he had to say something soon, but what he wanted to say eluded him.  
  
Gohan, I want to know everything.  
  
That quickly narrowed down the topics to almost nothing.  
  
He stared at her for a brief moment, knowing that anything that he did would bring on some sort of tirade. Taking into account of what he knew of her, Gohan decided to play it straight face. There is a lot, he spoke evenly, making sure his voice didn't sound dull.  
  
I've got all day.  
  
That narrowed down his moods to almost downright panic.  
  
He gave a short laugh. I could just easily fly out of here, you know.  
  
But you won't, cause I got you on a short leash. She walked up to him, stopping in front of his body and jabbing a finger right in his chest. In less than an hour, the whole city will know who that mysterious hero was at the bank today. Everyone will be hounding you to no end. Videl played her trump card, hoping to get the black haired teen to talk.  
  
Gohan blinked, and then smiled. You won't though.  
  
And why is that? she asked.  
  
Because no one would ever believe that a teenager like me would ever be able to do what you saw today. He stepped back, giving himself some room. The world you live in is all lies Videl. There are a great many things that you have yet to learn, and a great deal more that you won't believe.  
That's why you're going to tell me everything!  
  
He stopped, looking over her for a moment, noting her desperate demeanor. Do you trust me?  
  
  
  
I asked if you trusted me.  
  
I trust no one, and especially no one like you, Videl spat out.  
  
I see, he said softly, shaking his head slowly. Gohan turned away from her, making his way to the far ledge of the roof. A real pity that you live like this, he added as an afterthought.  
  
That pushed Videl over the edge.  
  
I don't need your pity Gohan! She ran forward, hoping to hit him for being an arrogant jerk. What she never expected was for him to turn and stop her from hitting him. She never expected the speed at which he moved too, easily deflecting the punch and preventing any further attacks against his form by how close he had pulled her in.  
  
She was glad too, for it was her injured hand that she threw out.  
  
What happened? Gohan asked, looking back at her captured hand.  
  
I vented seven years bad luck now.  
  
If it were any other time and situation, he would have laughed. He was glad that he didn't though. Gohan studied her face, taking note of the stress already filling the young girl's eyes. I don't pity you, you know.  
  
Really now? Videl asked a little too angrily. Gohan shrugged it off though, not really caring anymore how angry the girl could get. It wasn't like she would be able to do anything to him.  
  
It's just the way you live it's so reckless. You've already put so much on yourself with school and police work. If it wasn't the anger from Videl that was getting to him, it was the frustration of not being able to get through to her.  
  
Then you still shouldn't pity me. It's my life. I do as I please.  
  
So you're willing to throw it all away? Tell me, would you have been able to save yourself if I weren't there? Would it make any difference for me to tell you everything now? He stared cold into her eyes as he spoke. Videl could only turn her head away to avoid them, as she couldn't do anything else with the grip he still had on her.  
  
It was a simple enough response, though she decided to amend it a few seconds later after not hearing anything from Gohan. It was then that she turned back to face him, using those same cold eyes that he did just moments before. cause I would be dead, and I would have never met as big of a jerk as you.  
  
Internally, he smiled, in spite of the 'jerk' comment. He had finally gotten through to her, even if it was just a small step.  
  
_A small step can lead to so much more though  
_  
you don't need to know. At least, not until you're ready.  
  
She looked up into his eyes again, and once again, Gohan saw the desperation within them. This time though, it wasn't a yelling desperation. just tell me, please. I I need to know. She suddenly lunged herself around him, totally taking him by surprise. Then again, Gohan never noticed the loosening grip he had on Videl. I feel so empty just tell me  
  
_She's almost defeated this might work  
_  
I will ask you again. Do you trust me?  
  
Even with his sensitive hearing, he almost missed the one guilty word that she said into his chest.  
  
  
  
Regretfully, he stepped out of Videl's grasp, a sad look being cast down on her. His goal – wanting her to admit defeat – was crushed by her reluctance to receive help. Slowly, he reached up and placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it ever so gently.  
  
Then I'm afraid I can not help you Videl. I'll see you tomorrow, and maybe we can try again. He turned away from her, walking towards the ledge before lifting off into the air. He got about ten feet away before he heard her shout.  
  
  
  
Somehow, Gohan wanted that to happen.  
  
what do you want me to do? Videl asked.  
  
He drifted back down to the roof, coming to a stop a few feet from her. He opened his mouth to speak, but decided against his statement.  
  
_I can't tell her that I want her to admit defeat. She would hate me for it.  
_  
Gohan remained silent for a few more moments, finally coming upon something that may move them somewhere. I want to understand.  
  
Understand? What do you want to know? Videl asked, confused.  
  
I want to make you trust me. That was not what he wanted to come out. His frustration was beginning to show, but he knew he couldn't let it take over.  
  
But I can't Gohan I want to, you have to understand.  
  
Gohan nodded. Why though? Why are you so reluctant to trust?  
  
That's when she finally noticed something about Gohan. It was there that she looked into his eyes, expecting to find more pity, but instead, only finding curiosity and closure.  
  
_He's never pitied me once not once  
_  
She turned towards the closest ledge, walking over to it and sitting down on it. Would you believe would you believe that it took only one person to make me lose my faith in other people?  
  
Gohan shook his head.   
  
She smiled faintly. My father he was actually the first. Everything that has gotten to his head over these past seven years it makes me sick. His mistrust was just the start though.  
  
I was kind of stubborn still stubborn, but much more than I was then. I thought I could still trust people, trust adults but I found that out the hard way. Videl looked up, seeing that Gohan had only turned towards her. His spot on the roof still remained.  
  
Who was the second then? he asked.  
  
She sighed. It happened in these halls actually, about a year and a half ago. His name was Professor Rutabaga.  
  
A teacher?  
  
Videl nodded. It was the second year for us in high school, and Rutabaga was our science teacher. He taught chemistry, and we all really liked his class. We would always go to him when we needed some sort of help.  
  
Towards midterms, a few of us decided to get exclusive help from him. We stayed after school a few times and he taught us a few other things that would help us. He gave me the most help though, which was something I really didn't understand at that time. I was too fixated on his teaching methods and his welcoming personality to think that he had other agendas. She paused, looking for any sort of reaction from Gohan. He only nodded his head.  
  
Go on, please.  
  
She nodded. I somehow turned into his student assistant. I occasionally taught class, and I ate lunch with him. Hell, I even had dinner at his house sometimes with his wife and child. She smiled at the memory.  
  
He was a fairly young man, around twenty seven or so. His boy was only three, and the cutest thing I remember, save for Kagero during her pouting moods. It was the first time I noticed something was off though. His wife had suffered from depression, and was on meds to take care of it. It was due mostly with her, since she had learned after her child was born that she wouldn't be able to give birth again.  
  
The first times I went over their house for dinner, she looked at me almost jealously, like I was somehow replacing her. I didn't know then that she was on meds, so when I told Professor Rutabaga about it, he had explained it to me. It sounded then like he almost didn't have a worry in the world either about it.  
  
That's when everything started changing. It was slow changing though, and in retrospect, I never did see the small changes happening. The teacher he started acting much more casual around me. He bumped into me on purpose he let his handshakes linger an extra second or so. He was good at making it look completely innocent though. No one noticed no one  
  
Is that why the teachers are getting on your case? Gohan asked, noting the extra pause Videl had. She tried flexing her damaged fist, but stopped doing so after a small twinge of pain ran up her arm.  
  
She shook her head slightly. It's more of them making my life a living hell then getting on my case. This is part of the reason though.  
  
One day, during the finals period, the professor pulled me aside after school. He had been extremely off that day, and when I asked him about it, he told me that his wife was planning on getting a divorce. I told him I was sorry about it, and hugged him, thinking that it was the best way to comfort him. I kept telling him that everything was going to be all right, and he just kept saying that he knew. Videl stopped talking, staring down into her lap.  
  
What happened then? Gohan asked, slowly taking a few steps towards the black haired girl. When he saw that she wasn't going to continue, he took a few more steps towards her.   
  
she suddenly said, turning her face away from her lap. I don't want to continue. She started rubbing her arms, as if she were cold.  
  
_The memories why are you making me do this?  
_  
I won't think any less of you, he whispered, crouching down in front of Videl. Slowly, he raised his hand to her face and gently took hold of her chin.   
  
_ look at me.  
_  
Videl kept her eyes away from his, even as he pulled her head back in his direction. Don't hurt me.  
  
_I won't.  
_  
I won't I just want to know. He waited for her to turn her eyes back to his before speaking again. She wouldn't move them though.  
  
Promise me promise that you won't hurt me like he did, she said after nearly a minute of silence.  
  
_What does she mean by that?_ I promise.  
  
Videl's eyes slowly circled back towards his, looking for any hint of deception. She watched him drop his hand and take hold of hers, knowing now that he wouldn't do anything to harm her.  
  
Before I knew it I found myself against the wall. I looked up at him, wondering what he was doing. His hands were on my shoulders I couldn't move.  
  
_You're so beautiful I want to taste you  
_  
the bastard said that, and then he kissed me. It shocked me so much that I couldn't move. My eyes were frozen open completely open in horror at his and I stayed like that for who knows how long not until he started sliding his hand down and grabbing my chest that I realized what was happening.  
  
I shoved him hard off of me, sending him back towards his desk. He stood up and was ready to advance on me again, but I ran forward and punched him in his face. He fell to the floor, unconscious and then I ran.  
  
The principal was still in the school, and I told him about what the professor did. He said he would take care of it, but the look in his eyes he thought I was a slut. That fucker he thought I made the moves on him.  
  
What happened then? Gohan asked after Videl went silent.  
  
I went to Erasa's house after that and told her what happened. She told me to call the cops, and so I did. I told the chief everything and he ended up making the arrest, and the school ended up firing the professor two days after that.  
  
The school was pretty split about what really happened. Most of the faculty took the side of Professor Rutabaga, mostly because the principal pushed and pulled them to his will. Some of the students went along with him as well most of them have graduated though, which has made my life somewhat better. Everyone else here though has been supportive in a sense. I've told them not to make any mention of that, or the trial that ended up happening.  
  
Somehow, I made some good friends out of this, even though I've completely lost trust in everyone I've ever known. Videl looked up at him, a neutral look on her face as she did.  
  
What of the trial?  
  
That was a sham, she spat out, laughing bitterly afterwards. One year for attempted assault, and five years probation. He's out in Northern Capitol last I heard remarried too.  
  
It's what this life carries, you know? I wonder how my dad can do it  
  
Do what?  
  
The celebrity status he flaunts his stuff and it turns the people to his liking. It seems as if I'm the only one that knows how much of a fuck-up he is. Hell, he didn't even bother helping me through that damn trial. She felt a tightening on her hands. She looked up and saw Gohan's face turn hard.  
  
Did he say anything? he asked through his teeth.  
  
Videl shook her head. I was glad he didn't. He went about it as if life were as normal, and for him, as extravagant as can be. She looked down at her hands again. You can let go now I'd like the blood back in them, you know.  
  
sorry, he muttered, pulling his hands away. He stood up, walking away from her, towards the center of the roof.  
  
So now you know Gohan, Videl said, standing up and moving towards him. It's your turn now. I want to know about you.  
  
No can do, I'm afraid, he stated, coming to a stop near the center.  
  
What? I just told you everything!  
  
Gohan shook his head. Not everything just enough to make me understand. He turned around, looking at her eyes when he stopped. Do you trust me? he asked for the third time that day.  
  
You bastard, she muttered, clenching her good fist. How could you do this to me?  
  
You should be glad to know that I will keep this a secret. I'm good at keeping secrets, you know.  
  
So I've noticed.  
  
He laughed for a moment. Hey Videl I just want to let you know that I was only trying to get you to open up to someone.  
  
you haven't entirely succeeded, she pointed out.  
  
I know that. Just know that, once you do, I'll tell you about me. He slowly lifted himself off of the roof. I've got to be going now. I didn't think this would take so long.  
  
You jerk how long did you think this would have taken, five minutes? Videl shouted towards him.  
  
Not really I figured you would try and beat it out of me, but I was wrong.  
  
Damn you! She ran forward, trying to jump up and grab onto his legs before he got too far away. That little venture failed though. she shouted up towards him.  
  
he shouted back down, stopping about twenty feet from the rooftop. For some strange reason, he was enjoying this little exchange.  
  
When are you going to tell me?  
  
As soon as you can trust me. And with that, he blasted off towards the mountains.  
  
Videl stood there in awe for a few more moments, staring at the rapidly disappearing teen. he sure is fast arrogant jerk. She pulled out her copter capsule (she had returned it to its capsule when the pair got to the roof) and threw it in the air. She snapped her fingers suddenly, remembering something she had forgotten.  
  
Oh well I'll tell him tomorrow. She climbed into her copter, lifting off into the air and making her way to the elementary school. All she wanted to do after getting Kagero was to take a nice long bath and forget about everything that happened during the day.  
  
  


* * *  


  
  
Gohan landed on his front yard about an hour later. He had stopped at the edge of the city during his flight out to stop a crime in progress. He was pleased to find that the people had started welcoming them as their new hero. I guess I can get used to this gig, he pointed out along the way. He was glad to find out that he still had a few minutes remaining on his imposed time limit. Of course, he didn't know that until he stepped in the doorway.  
  
his mom shouted from the kitchen. Did you meet anyone new today? It was then that he looked at the time.  
  
No Mom. I had stuff to take care of. He walked into the kitchen, giving Chichi a quick hug before running his bag upstairs. He came back down, opening the fridge and pulling out a piece of fruit.  
  
I saw what happened on the news today. Is everything all right? she asked, turning off the stove for a moment.  
  
He shook his head. Videl didn't tell me anything that happened in the hospital she was just trying to get stuff from me about who I was.  
  
  
  
It's all a matter of when she'll be able to trust me. Gohan shrugged, adding to his point. He took a bite out of his apple before resuming. She is the one though that I've dreamt about these last two weeks.  
  
Well, do you have any thoughts about it? Chichi asked, preparing a side dish for dinner.  
  
Besides this whole thing revolving around some sort of fate? —Nope. He went back to his apple, only to see that it was gone. Hey Mom, how big is dinner going to be tonight?  
  
Fairly big. You hungry? He nodded. Dinner should be ready in about fifteen to twenty minutes. I'll call you down then.  
  
Okay. Thanks Mom. He ran upstairs, setting down on his homework before eating dinner. Thoughts of the day before soon left his head, except for the nagging doubt that he had with Videl's trust issue.  
  
It would be his goal to get her to trust again.  
  
Before he knew it though, it would turn out to be something much, much worse.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  


Videl landed on her roof about ten minutes after picking up Kagero. At one point along the way (she didn't care for the time), someone at the station had called her over her watch. As much as she didn't want to, she told them that she was put out of commission for the time being. She was glad to hear a moment after she told them that the new hero had shown up and taken care of things for them. So, that jerk is good for something, she muttered under her breath.  
  
She climbed out of her copter and went straight to her room from there, grabbing her towel for a long and much needed bath. As she made her way to the bathroom, she started hearing a commotion down in the main floor. She didn't recognize the voices at first, but after moving down the hall some, she was able to pick them apart.  
  
The teen turned, seeing Kagero standing behind her.  
  
She took note at the deep breaths the girl was taking.  
  
Don't go down there please  
  
Videl shook her head. I have to. I have to take care of this now. She went back to her room, pulling on some clothes before walking back down the hall. As she descended the steps, she could hear the argument happening, both the actual one and the one playing through her mind. She knew that it wasn't going to happen the way she wanted it to though. Her body and her mind had taken its toll from everything that happened earlier in the day, and for a moment, she should have just ignored everything happening in the living room completely.  
  
But Videl couldn't. She had to go downstairs. She had to confront them. So when she got into the living room, she didn't act surprised seeing the two people that she didn't want to see. So engrossed with their conversation, that they didn't notice her until she had spoken one simple word:  
  
  
  
Slowly, Hercule and Faye turned their heads, looking at the disheveled and displaced girl. None of them did anything for a few moments, all opting to stare at each other. Hercule was the first to move, raising his hand to his coarse and tired face. He turned back to Faye before looking back at his daughter, this time moving his body completely to face hers.  
  
Yes Videl? he asked. His voice showed how worn out he was as well.  
  
You, me and Faye, she spat, turning her eyes harshly towards the maid, are going to have a little talk, starting right now.  
  
Slowly, the world champ nodded his head, turning towards the couch – passing by his living room recliner – and sitting down on it.  
  
Videl, now is not a good tim –   
  
Hercule cut in, turning his head towards the maid. Sit down. He waited for her to sit down on a love seat before turning back to his daughter. Go ahead Videl speak your mind.  
  
And so she did.  
  
And when it was all over, nothing between the three would ever be the same again.  
  
  


* * *  
  
  
End Part Twelve  
  
End Chapter One  
  
  
* * *  
  
  


Final notes: the unofficial final word count for this is 33,374. This is from a forty-seven page, ten-font Word document that this story was originally written in. That does not include the review special, Simple Nightly Visits, or the originally intended part nine. That part will be included with the Director's Cut Edition, which I plan to get working on very soon. Twelve-font enthusiasts, once again, may only guess at the page size if converted. It took somewhere close three and a half months to write this out, from August first or second until November twenty-fifth.  
  
Current plans now involve actually posting Amour Foncé on a regular basis (I found out last week that I cannot upload multiple stories at one time, simply because of my inability to get off of my lazy side). The second chapter for that will be uploaded this Friday, and hopefully it will come out on a weekly schedule from here on out. Other than that, my other main project, entitled , is coming along quite nicely. I hope to be done that by the end of February, edit that for a little while, and have it ready for uploading on May fifteenth. Why so very far away, you ask? Just do some research on the title and you'll understand why.  
  
Work on Chapter Two, entitled The Thirteenth Step, will begin immediately after is completed, or whenever March first comes around, and I expect its launch to come somewhere in April.  
  
Finally, thanks to my pre-readers sage and PsYChO for a job well done. I couldn't have done it without your help and input.  
  
  
  
Coming soon, Chapter Two: The Thirteenth Step  
  



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